Russian missile attacks wound ۱۱ in Kyiv

In the latest salvo in one of the war’s deadliest months, Russia hits Kyiv with ballistic missiles and ۱۲۱ drones.

An intense overnight bombardment of ballistic missiles and specialised drone swarms launched by Russia has struck multiple districts across Ukraine’s capital, wounding at least ۱۱ civilians and damaging critical infrastructure.

The complex assault launched early on Saturday highlights the escalating threat facing Kyiv’s airspace as defenders ration depleted air defence stockpiles while waiting for Western military aid to arrive.

Local news source Euromaidan Press reported that the initial detonations echoed through the city centre at ۳:۳۸am (۰۰:۳۸ GMT), nearly two minutes before municipal air raid sirens were officially activated at ۳:۴۰am, giving residents virtually no time to seek cover.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia deployed six Iskander-M or S-۴۰۰ ballistic missiles from the Bryansk region, alongside six tactical cruise missiles and ۱۲۱ drones. Although defence units successfully downed ۱۱۱ drones and two cruise missiles, all six ballistic targets breached the perimeter.

Domestic media reports indicated that air defence teams have been forced to switch sophisticated Patriot missile batteries into manual operational modes to carefully conserve dwindling interceptor stocks.

The incoming attacks triggered severe structural fires and localised devastation. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed via social media that the casualties included an ۱۱-year-old boy, with four of the wounded requiring emergency hospitalisation.

“A transformer substation is on fire in the Darnytskyi district, and a three-storey office building is burning in the Solomianskyi district,” Klitschko said on his channel on Telegram.

Ukrainska Pravda newspaper reported that a railway locomotive was heavily damaged by a primary blast wave, while nearby commercial warehouses and a pharmacy suffered significant structural failure. Beyond the city limits, emergency personnel utilised specialised fire trains to contain a huge ۴,۰۰۰-square-meter (۴۸۰۰-square-yard) blaze at a regional infrastructure facility.

The weekend assault follows a sharp escalation in Russian aerial operations targeting the capital since the start of this month. According to data compiled by local authorities, recent attacks across Kyiv and its outlying metropolitan area have killed more than ۶۰ people since the beginning of July.

Beyond the capital, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that Russia’s nationwide missile and drone campaign successfully struck at least ۱۱ infrastructure sites across the country.