Russia launches large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv, blackouts and fires reported
Russia conducted a major overnight missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, hitting residential areas and causing power blackouts, Ukrainian officials said early Monday.
Attack on Kyiv
Russian forces launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital early on Monday, June 15. The Ukrainian air force reported dozens of drones approaching Kyiv, and a missile alert was issued for central and eastern regions. The first explosions were heard around 1 a.m. local time.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that several buildings were hit in the Podilsky and Obolonsky districts. Interceptions of projectiles and falling incandescent debris were observed by an AFP reporter. Fires broke out in at least three neighborhoods, and power outages affected multiple parts of the city. Authorities in Kharkiv also reported missile strikes. No immediate information on casualties was available.
Kremlin statements and diplomatic response
The Kremlin repeated its demand that President Volodymyr Zelensky travel to Moscow if he wishes to meet President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani attended an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, joined via video link by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
The ministers discussed strengthening political and economic pressure on Russia and sustaining support for Kyiv. Tajani reaffirmed Italy's commitment to a just and lasting peace and backed Ukraine's EU path and reconstruction ahead of a recovery conference in Gdańsk. The Council also addressed the Middle East, including the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the relaunch of U.S.-Iran negotiations.
