Russian ballistic missiles target Kyiv overnight, spark fires in at least three districts

A fresh wave of Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, July 26, triggering a roughly 50-minute air raid alert and setting fires in multiple parts of the Ukrainian capital, city officials said. No casualties have been reported.

Overnight barrage

Russian forces launched the attack during the night from Saturday to Sunday, the Ukrainian air forces reported. The air raid alert lasted about 50 minutes, and falling debris caused fires in at least three districts, mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Unverified social media footage, cited by Reuters, showed blazes in several areas of Kyiv.

Residential building fire

One of the fires broke out across two floors of a multi-story residential building in the central part of the city, Klitschko reported. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, and emergency services were working at the scene.

Preceding warning

On Friday, July 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned that new Russian attacks were likely within the next 48 hours, just two days before the barrage.

“Within the next 48 hours, new Russian attacks are likely.”

Escalation context

The attack follows a record-setting overnight strike on July 19, when Russia used 41 ballistic missiles against Kyiv, according to Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. That was the highest number of ballistic missiles fired at the capital in a single attack since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Sybiha's statement highlighted a sharp increase in the intensity of missile barrages against the city.