Russia launched a significant ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, overnight, resulting in the death of one person and injuring 16 others, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The assault, which included 41 missiles of different types, caused widespread destruction in various districts of the capital.
Several structures, including residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket, and a dormitory, were damaged in the attack, as reported by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Emergency workers in western Kyiv sifted through debris and extinguished fires in damaged apartments. One resident named Vlad recounted how the blast shattered his balcony door, injuring him, but he stayed to care for his immobile grandmother.
In another part of the city, an underground pedestrian passage near a metro station was destroyed by the strikes. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia commenced on February 24, 2022, with coordinated aerial and ground offensives targeting multiple Ukrainian cities.
Meanwhile, in the northeastern Kharkiv region bordering Russia, three individuals lost their lives, and 16 were wounded in a separate attack on a suburb, as per the regional governor. Russian forces also targeted a rehabilitation center in the neighboring Sumy region, confirmed by acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
As Ukraine faces a critical shortage of U.S.-made air defenses, Russian forces have intensified their ballistic missile assaults on Kyiv and other cities. The Ukrainian military reported downing 18 missiles and 108 out of 125 drones in the most recent attack aimed primarily at the capital.
President Zelenskyy announced a political agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine for manufacturing Patriot interceptor missiles, with hopes that production could commence by the year’s end. The escalating Russian attacks have put pressure on Kyiv’s allies to expedite the supply of anti-ballistic defenses to combat the ongoing war effectively.
Zelenskyy stressed the urgent need for interceptors, emphasizing that protection against ballistic missiles is currently the top priority for Ukraine.