Russian missile strikes hit Kyiv, kill at least 12 amid air defence shortage
KYIV — Russia launched a wave of missile strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, killing at least 12 people and injuring 34, Ukrainian
KYIV — Russia launched a wave of missile strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, killing at least 12 people and injuring 34, Ukrainian officials said. Apartment blocks and warehouses were hit across the capital as air raid sirens sounded and about 20 Russian missiles struck after midnight local time.
The bombardment also knocked out power to thousands of properties, leaving parts of the Kyiv region in darkness. Ukraine declared a day of mourning for Friday, while rescuers searched damaged buildings and emergency crews worked through the night.
Homes, a hospital and a school damaged
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine, known as DSNS, said apartment blocks and warehouses were struck in several parts of the city. A children's hospital and a school were also damaged in the attack, widening the toll beyond the immediate casualties.
The strikes come as Kyiv faces a shortage of air defence missiles, a gap Ukrainian officials say leaves the capital exposed to repeated attacks. The issue has become a daily pressure point for Ukraine as it depends on western allies for supplies.
Zelensky points to missile shortage
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths were the result of that shortage. Writing on Telegram, he said: "as long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistics, Russia will not seriously think about peace".
His remarks framed the overnight assault as more than a single battlefield event. They pointed to a deeper problem for Ukraine: even when air raid warnings come, the ability to intercept incoming missiles is not guaranteed.
Moscow says it hit military targets
The Russian defence ministry said it used air, land and sea-based weapons against military facilities and warehouses. It also said 726 Ukrainian drones had been shot down.
Russia and Ukraine routinely issue sharply different accounts after major strikes, and this latest attack followed that pattern. But the damage in Kyiv was visible enough on the ground: shattered buildings, blackouts and emergency teams moving from one site to the next.
Elsewhere in the broader Kyiv region, the attack extended beyond the city centre and cut electricity across parts of the area. The overnight barrage began around midnight and ended with a toll that kept rising as rescue workers pulled victims from the wreckage.
