Russian ballistic missiles kill 17 across Kyiv region as Ukraine fails to intercept any incoming missiles

Overnight barrage

Russia launched 28 high-speed missiles and 115 drones at Kyiv and its surrounding region on the night of 4-5 August, killing at least 17 people and wounding 44, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on the morning of 5 August. The toll covers Kyiv and the Kyiv region together. The regional military administration reported 14 dead in the region, nine of them in Brovary district, while the city of Kyiv recorded one woman killed. The regional figure was an earlier count. Eight of the dead were at a railway station in Brovary.

Ukraine's air force said it downed 98 of the 115 drones, nearly 90%, but failed to intercept a single one of the 24 ballistic missiles (Iskander-M/S-400) and four Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had struck seven logistics centres, accusing them of storing or distributing dual-use goods and drone components.

Drones launched115

Drones intercepted98

Missiles launched28

Missiles intercepted0

Drones launched

115

Drones intercepted

98

Missiles launched

28

Missiles intercepted

0

Data from the article text

Civilian targets

Zelenskyy said the strikes hit warehouses belonging to civilian firms, a railway station, a brewery, stores of construction materials and civilian logistics sites. The largest group of deaths, in Brovary district, occurred on a railway platform beside the logistics centres that were struck. Kyiv has come under missile attack every three to four days in recent weeks. On 1 August, a similar attack killed at least nine people and wounded more than 30.

“Ballistic missile interceptors could have saved the lives of those killed today. It is essential that our partners understand that delays in delivery or reluctance to provide anti-ballistic systems lead precisely to such human losses.”

Why missiles get through

When Russia fires a ballistic missile, air-defense systems have only minutes, sometimes seconds, to respond. Thomas Withington, an electronic warfare expert at the Royal United Services Institute, described the warhead's trajectory and speed.

“It's very, very steep and it's going at a ridiculous speed.”

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Patriots are currently the only system in Ukrainian service able to intercept the Russian Iskander-M, S-400 and Zircon missiles. Deliveries of air defence missiles were three times smaller than in 2025, Zelenskyy said. Russia has also improved its missiles. Ulrich Bounat, a researcher at Euro Créative, said Russia has increased production capacity and performance of Iskander missiles, which now change direction at the last moment and emit decoys. According to an AFP count based on official data, Ukraine intercepted less than a third of Russian missiles between 2024 and July 2026.

Trump and the licensing dispute

During a meeting with Zelenskyy in Ankara, Turkey, in July, US President Donald Trump said the United States would grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture PAC-3 interceptors. But in a telephone interview with the Financial Times on 30 July, Trump said the US had "not agreed to" grant the licences and that he was not sure it would, calling the technology a hard thing to give away because a recipient could one day turn on you.

“It's a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we license it to.”

At a White House meeting in late July, Trump rejected Zelenskyy's request for hundreds of additional Patriot interceptors. Sources familiar with the talks said Trump argued that Patriots are needed to defend US interests in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. The Pentagon denied reports of US defensive weapons shortages linked to the conflict with Iran. Washington's envoy to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, is now leading the push to reach an agreement and travelled to Kyiv last month to discuss the issue with Ukrainian officials and weapons industry executives.

Broader toll

Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, condemned the Russian attacks, saying strikes had made July the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022. At least 377 civilians were killed and 2,129 wounded in July alone. Russia has exploited Ukraine's air defence difficulties in recent days to carry out large-scale attacks with missiles and drones, with Kyiv among the principal targets.