Russia fires largest ballistic missile barrage of war at Kyiv, killing one and wounding at least 13
Russia launched around four dozen ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital early Sunday, sparking fires across six districts and damaging homes, offices and a metro station.
Attack overview
Russia launched its largest ballistic missile attack on Kyiv since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, firing around four dozen Iskander-M and hypersonic Zircon missiles at the Ukrainian capital early Sunday. The assault began at 1:30 a.m. local time and continued for several hours, with a second air raid siren at 6:30 a.m. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described it as "a brutal terrorist attack on the Ukrainian capital" and called for "devastating pressure on Moscow to end this terror."
- Air raid siren sounds, ballistic missiles detected
- Dozens of missiles strike Kyiv, explosions heard across the city
- Fires break out in multiple districts, emergency services deployed
- Rescue workers pull survivors from burning buildings
- Second air raid siren, more impacts reported
Damage and casualties
At least one person was killed and between 13 and 16 wounded, according to various official sources. Fires broke out across six districts, damaging residential buildings, offices, a dormitory, a supermarket, and vehicles. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a three-storey building caught fire, and rescuers pulled several people from the rubble. The blast wave from one explosion caused the ceiling of the Lukyanivska metro station vestibule to collapse, temporarily closing the station. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires at multiple locations, and emergency services were deployed citywide.
Air defence and missile types
Ukraine's air force said it shot down 18 of the 41 missiles launched and 108 of 125 drones. The remaining 23 missiles and 10 drones struck 20 locations, primarily in Kyiv. The attack underscores Ukraine's critical shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles, which are the most effective against ballistic missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated the urgent need for anti-ballistic capabilities.
Protection against ballistic missiles is our constant and top priority right now. Interceptors are needed every day, and I am grateful to everyone who takes our agreements seriously and ensures the delivery of anti-ballistic capabilities.
- Missiles launched
- 41
- Missiles downed
- 18
- Drones launched
- 125
- Drones downed
- 108
Political turmoil in Kyiv
The attack comes amid rare domestic political instability. President Zelensky's decision to remove Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has sparked street protests and criticism from soldiers and analysts. Some have called it the worst mistake of his presidency, arguing that Fedorov's modernising efforts were gaining momentum. Demonstrators are demanding Fedorov's reinstatement and the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Ukrainian strikes on Russia
The missile barrage followed a Ukrainian drone attack on Saturday that hit two large Wildberries e-commerce warehouses in the Moscow and Tambov regions, killing at least eight people and injuring around 60. Zelensky said the facilities were used to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment for the Russian military. Russian officials reported that the strikes caused major fires. Additionally, a Ukrainian strike in the Kursk region killed one person, according to regional governor Alexander Khinshtein.
Other regions hit
Russian drone strikes also targeted Dnipropetrovsk, killing one person, and a passenger train in the Zaporizhia region, where the conductor was killed. These attacks are part of a near-daily pattern of Russian aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities, which Kyiv has responded to with its own long-range strikes on Russian territory, a campaign it calls "long-range sanctions."
