In brief
In the early hours of Sunday, Russia launched 23 ballistic missiles over Kyiv. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that none were intercepted due to a shortage of interceptor missiles, leading to a large breach in a residential building. Survivors describe the shock and terror of the blast, while the Kremlin is accused of deliberately targeting civilian structures. President Zelensky warned that Moscow would continue such attacks if Ukrainian defenders retain ‘Patriot’ stockpiles. Overall, the attack left 13 dead in Kyiv and six more in the wider region, marking the second large-scale strike within a week.
During a night‑time assault on Sunday, Russian forces fired 23 ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the country’s interceptor missile shortage meant none of the projectiles were destroyed before they hit their targets.
The strike left a huge, almost cathedral‑sized hole in a residential building on Khreschatyk Street, a landmark of the city’s historical centre. A survivor who was trapped inside the blast zone told BBC journalist Sarah Rainsford that she was “terrified” by the sudden explosion and the ensuing debris.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow will continue to target civilian structures as long as defensive Patriot missiles remain in allied stockpiles – a statement that underscored the high stakes of this ongoing conflict.
Officials confirmed that at least 13 people were killed in the Kyiv attack, with six more fatalities reported in the wider Kyiv region, making it the second large‑scale Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital within the last week.
For further context, see the related story on the death toll in the Kyiv region, where 19 people were killed in a separate escalation of hostilities.