At least 21 people have been killed after Russia launched a wave of ballistic missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to renew calls for more advanced air defence systems from Western allies.
The overnight assault was one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region this year, with 17 fatalities recorded in the capital and nearby areas. Additional attacks claimed one life in Kharkiv and three in the eastern Donetsk region.
Zelensky said the deaths could have been prevented if Ukraine had received more Patriot missile interceptors, stressing that delays in supplying anti-ballistic defence systems had resulted in “horrific casualties and destruction.”
He later disclosed that deliveries of missile interceptors from Ukraine’s allies had “significantly reduced” this year.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia fired 24 ballistic missiles, four anti-ship missiles and 115 drones during the overnight assault. While air defence systems intercepted 98 drones, Ukrainian authorities did not report intercepting any of the ballistic missiles.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said residential buildings, a railway station and warehouses were among the structures hit, with fears that more people could still be trapped beneath the rubble.
Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed that one person was killed and at least 16 injured in Kyiv city, while another 16 people died and 29 were injured across the wider Kyiv region. Firefighters continued battling blazes at five locations covering about 230,000 square metres.
In Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian shelling killed one person and injured several others, including one critically wounded victim. Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin reported three deaths and 27 injuries following separate attacks.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its strikes targeted logistics hubs, supply centres and facilities involved in storing, transporting and producing weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
The ministry also claimed its forces struck three cargo vessels near the Black Sea port of Odesa, alleging they were transporting weapons and military equipment.
Data analysed by BBC Verify indicates that Ukraine’s missile interception rate has declined sharply over the past month. Between July 6 and August 5, Ukrainian forces intercepted 156 of 351 Russian missiles, compared with 128 of 192 missiles during the same period in 2025.
The figures show the missile interception rate dropped from 66.7 per cent in 2025 to 44.4 per cent in 2026, while the number of Russian missile launches increased by 83 per cent over the same period. Drone interception rates declined only slightly, from 88.4 per cent to 85.8 per cent.
As Russia intensified its attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine also stepped up strikes inside Russian territory.
In Russia’s Tula region, Governor Dmitry Milyaev said a Ukrainian drone struck a warehouse belonging to e-commerce company Wildberries, causing a fire and injuring one person. The warehouse was evacuated before the blaze spread.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted logistics facilities inside Russia, including warehouses. Earlier this week, five people were reportedly killed and 10 injured in drone strikes on warehouses in the Moscow region. A day earlier, Russian officials said seven people were killed and 58 others injured after a drone struck a crowded beach in the Krasnodar region.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials condemned footage circulating online that allegedly showed a drone pursuing a civilian in the southern city of Kherson, describing it as a deliberate “hunt” and “safari” targeting civilians. Both Russia and Ukraine continue to deny intentionally attacking civilian targets.
Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union had received €1.4 billion (£1.2 billion) from immobilised Russian assets, which will be used to support Ukraine’s defence efforts in the ongoing war.
About Author
