Russia strikes Kyiv with ballistic missiles, killing at least 3 and trapping residents in damaged buildings

The attack

Russia launched an intense barrage of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Kyiv overnight into Saturday, triggering more than a dozen explosions across the Ukrainian capital. Witnesses reported rounds of powerful blasts, with AFP journalists noting that the intensity set off car alarms on the streets. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko confirmed the strike on Telegram, warning residents to stay in shelters as the threat remained high.

Explosions in the city. Kyiv is under ballistic missile attack. Stay in shelters!

Casualties and damage

At least three people were killed, according to Klitschko, though Kyiv's military administration reported four dead. Fifteen people were wounded and transported to hospital, including two boys aged 13 and 17. One injured person was in serious condition. The strikes damaged a five-story residential building in the Solomianskyi District, where falling debris caused a courtyard fire and left people trapped inside. In the Shevchenkivskyi District, another residential building suffered a partial collapse of the first and second floors, trapping several people. Warehouse buildings caught fire in the Darnytskyi district, and debris fell on buildings in Holosiivskyi. Emergency services remained on the scene as rescue efforts continued.

Air defence shortages

Kyiv is chronically short on air defences capable of downing ballistic missiles, a vulnerability Russia has exploited by stepping up attacks on the capital in recent months. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently pressed Western partners for more Patriot anti-ballistic missile defence systems. Late Friday he described air defence, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, as a top priority after speaking with US Vice President JD Vance.

The Russian air strikes on our country continue and air defense, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, remains a top priority.

Patriot licence negotiations

Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump in Washington earlier in the week, describing the talks as positive and productive. The Ukrainian leader said afterward that Trump had agreed to license the production of Patriot missiles to Ukraine. At a NATO summit in Ankara in July, Trump had indicated the US would give Ukraine such a licence. But on Friday at a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump appeared to step back from that commitment, saying no final decision had been made and that Washington had to be very careful about transferring that kind of technology.

Now we have not agreed to that. We're talking about it, but it's a hard thing to give away that kind of technology. And I don't think this would ever happen, but, you know, there's people that you give that technology, they can someday turn on you.

Broader escalation

Saturday's strike came just two days after a large-scale Russian ballistic missile and drone attack across Ukraine killed 10 civilians and wounded more than 50 others, with a Russian missile entering Polish airspace. Russia has ramped up long-range strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine, while Kyiv has escalated retaliatory strikes on Russia. Russian online retail giant Wildberries said its logistics facility in Volgograd caught fire after an overnight attack, the latest in a series of strikes on the company's facilities. Kyiv has accused the e-commerce giant of storing drone parts and aiding the Russian military.