In brief
Kyiv's highest alert level was triggered at 22:06 local time on 21 October, and the second wave came about an hour and a half later. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported at least five injured, while other reports give six and fifteen.
According to Agentstwo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Zhukovsky and Vnukovo interrupted flights almost daily in October, with closures of up to nine hours on some days.
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin is 'in principle' ready for talks with Ukraine and the United States in mid-November, after envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg.
In early September, Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to close Russian airspace, and Kyiv notified ICAO the following day.
- About 90 minutes laterSecond attack wave on Kyiv, with no new impacts reported
- Around midnight, local timeAir-raid alert covers almost all of Ukraine
- About 2 a.m., local timeMedia report further impacts in Kyiv
Missile strikes on Kyiv overnight
Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv late on 21 October. The highest alert level in the capital was triggered at 22:06 local time, and the Ukrainian air force reported the approach of several missiles two minutes later. Media reported loud explosions over the city. A second wave followed roughly an hour and a half after the first, with no new impacts reported, which may point to successful interception. Air-raid alerts covered almost all of Ukraine by around midnight local time, and media reports described further impacts at about 2 a.m. local time.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said falling debris damaged residential buildings and a petrol station on the eastern bank of the Dnipro, and that at least five people were injured. He warned that people might still need to be rescued from damaged buildings and that a fuller picture of casualties and damage was still pending. Reported injury figures differ between outlets: tagesschau's lead cites at least six injured, while SRF's live headlines give fifteen injured in the Russian missile attack on Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky complained that Ukraine received no prior warnings from allied partners about the attack.
Drone attacks disrupt Moscow airports
Ukrainian drone attacks have repeatedly interrupted operations at Moscow airports. According to the independent Russian investigative outlet Agentstwo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Zhukovsky and Vnukovo had to halt flights almost daily in October, and on some days they were closed for up to nine hours. In early September, Zelensky announced that Ukraine wanted to close Russian airspace.
“Today we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer and everyone who continues to use the most important Russian airports: Russian airspace will become entirely unsafe.”
The day after that announcement, Kyiv sent a corresponding notice to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Ukraine's own airspace has been closed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya can invoke an emergency protocol known as 'carpet', which closes airspace over a region or affected airports at once. It applies when an aircraft violates Russian airspace, when weapons are used, or when unidentified objects appear in the air, and it brings sweeping restrictions on all flights.
Aviation expert Oleksandr Laneckij told DW that the protocol applies to any drone.
“Basically, every drone represents a military threat.”
Laneckij pointed to the Houthis' success in paralysing Saudi Arabia and said he believes Ukraine's military capabilities far exceed theirs. He expects Ukraine could substantially disrupt Moscow's aviation hub, if not paralyse it. Independent military expert Jan Matwejew shares that assessment.
Peace talks and the Kremlin's position
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Vladimir Putin is 'in principle' ready for talks with Ukraine and the United States in mid-November. Shortly before, US envoy Steve Witkoff had spoken with Putin in St Petersburg. Zelensky supports the US proposal for trilateral talks with Russia and the United States, and had earlier indicated he could accept a freeze of the front line. SRF's live headlines report that Zelensky hopes for a trilateral meeting soon, that Russia says it is ready for new trilateral talks, and that Putin has proposed meeting Donald Trump in China.
Political scientist Nico Lange is skeptical that talks will take place. In an interview with WDR, he said the Kremlin has said from the first day that it is ready for negotiations, provided Ukraine meets all of Moscow's demands. He argued that Putin is counting on Trump's pressure to push Kyiv into surrender, which, as in the past year, would not produce a result. Reports also say Trump plans to buy Russian oil despite existing sanctions, and is pressing Zelensky to reach a peace deal quickly, while Moscow refuses to lower its conditions.
Wider war and humanitarian needs
Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, while Ukraine has defended itself against near-daily drone, missile and rocket attacks since February 2022. Earlier in October, ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv had also triggered air-raid alerts late. In the same news cycle, SRF's headlines report over 600 drones intercepted in a large attack on Moscow, one person killed in a drone attack near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and a NATO push to strengthen drone defence in the Black Sea. The Swiss Glueckskette is collecting donations for civilians in Ukraine more than four years after the war began, with support covering family aid, housing repairs, medical care and psychosocial help.