Before dawn on Saturday, Kyiv faced a severe attack as Russian missiles hit the Ukrainian capital. The assault resulted in the deaths of nine people and injuries to over 30, according to authorities.
Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, described the situation as a “horrific night” in a social media statement. Reports indicated that the attack consisted of 35 missiles and 185 drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the country’s Patriot air defense missiles were insufficient to intercept many of the projectiles. Only one out of 27 ballistic missiles was downed.
“Every package of ballistic missile interceptors saves the lives of our people,” Zelenskyy expressed.
Impact on Kyiv Neighborhoods
The bombardment significantly affected five areas of the city. Fires erupted, leading to frantic rescue operations to evacuate residents from burning dwellings. Rescue teams worked in dark, smoke-filled environments, and streets were littered with charred vehicles.
The Darnytskyi district suffered the highest casualties, with seven people killed and 14 injured. In the Solomianskyi district, two residents died when debris hit a building, while 35 others were rescued. Beyond these areas, damage occurred in the Shevchenkivskyi district and other parts of the city.
The Lithuanian embassy in Kyiv reported damage due to nearby missile impacts.
Russian Defense Ministry’s Statement
Russian media mentioned that their country’s Defense Ministry described the strike as targeting military-industrial and logistics locations within Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Deficit of Missile Interceptors
The recent strikes were preceded by another Russian attack days earlier, which resulted in at least 10 casualties elsewhere in Ukraine. This underscores Moscow’s focus on capitalizing on the lack of interceptor missiles available to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s appeals to President Trump for more interceptors have been urgent. The Ukrainian leader has been vocal about the need for air defense systems and efforts to license domestic production.
Talks with Lockheed Martin and at a recent NATO summit highlighted these needs. Discussions are ongoing, yet the U.S. has not finalized any agreements.
Strikes Across Ukraine
Missiles also targeted areas outside Kyiv. In Kherson, one person died and 19 were injured. Additionally, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck Russian energy sites overnight. Drones hit three oil refineries in the Bashkortostan region, far from the conflict zones.
A Russian container ship linked to Rosatom, supposedly carrying non-military goods, was sunk in the Black Sea due to a Ukrainian drone strike.