A sustained overnight barrage of ballistic missiles and drones struck Kyiv into Saturday, killing at least three people and wounding more than a dozen others, as rescue crews worked to free residents trapped inside damaged apartment blocks across the Ukrainian capital.
A five-story residential building in the Solomianskyi District was struck by falling debris, with people believed to remain trapped inside and a fire burning in the courtyard. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, residents were also reported trapped after a partial collapse of the first and second floors, while warehouse buildings caught fire in the Darnytskyi district.
“The Russian air strikes on our country continue and air defense, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, remains a top priority,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.
Local officials reported the death toll could rise as emergency operations continued through the morning. The attack came just two days after a large-scale Russian assault across Ukraine killed 10 civilians and wounded more than 50 others, and saw a Russian missile briefly enter Polish airspace.
Russia has intensified long-range strikes on the capital in recent months. Ukraine remains chronically short of air defenses capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound and leave defenders little time to react.
The renewed strikes follow a United Nations assessment that June was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022, underscoring the mounting toll on urban centers as the war grinds through its fourth year.
Zelenskyy said late Friday he had spoken with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and discussed his earlier meeting in Washington with President Donald Trump, which he characterized as positive and productive. Kyiv has pressed the United States and other Western partners for additional Patriot anti-ballistic missile systems and interceptors.
The intensifying strikes come against a backdrop of escalating aerial warfare on both sides, with Ukraine also expanding its own long-range campaign inside Russia. Kyiv has repeatedly warned that its resources are stretched thin amid the prolonged conflict.
Air raid alerts and the threat of further ballistic strikes remained in force across the capital, with authorities urging residents to shelter as recovery efforts continued at the damaged sites.