Russian strike k!lls 18 in Kyiv on eve of NATO summit

At least 18 people were killed after Russia launched a wave of missiles and drones at residential areas in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, early Monday, marking the second major attack on the city in a week as leaders prepared for the upcoming NATO summit.

Ukrainian authorities said the strikes hit apartment buildings and other civilian areas, leaving dozens injured and causing widespread destruction. One missile tore through a multi-storey residential building, leaving a large crater and destroying its upper floors.

Residents reported hearing multiple explosions overnight as air raid sirens sounded across the capital. Officials in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve began evacuating residents over concerns that unexploded ordnance remained in the debris. Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s allies to strengthen the country’s air defences, saying the latest assault highlighted the urgent need for additional military support.

“It is critically important that the world – first and foremost the United States and our European partners – come out of the NATO Summit in Ankara with strong decisions in support of our air defense, and thus the protection of ordinary people’s lives.”

Zelensky said Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 attack drones during the overnight assault. While Ukrainian forces intercepted many of the drones and cruise missiles, he said the country lacked sufficient interceptor missiles to stop ballistic missiles.

According to the president, at least 14 people were killed in Kyiv and the surrounding region, while around 60 others were injured. Residents described the intensity of the bombardment.

“At 1:30 am, a powerful hit occurred. A blast wave, all the windows blew out. And then it hit three more times,” Oleksandr Bakhlukov, a resident of Kyiv’s Podilsky district, told AFP. “Glass was falling down. There wasn’t a single pane of glass left in the apartment.”

Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had carried out what it described as a “massive strike” targeting military-industrial enterprises and fuel and energy facilities in several Ukrainian regions. Ukrainian officials, however, said around 30 residential buildings in Kyiv were damaged, with emergency workers continuing search and rescue operations throughout the day.

Ursula von der Leyen said the latest attack underscored Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air defence systems, adding that the issue would be discussed at the NATO summit. Meanwhile, Russia’s military said it intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said several waves of drones had been heading towards the Russian capital.

The latest escalation comes days after another Russian strike on Kyiv killed more than 30 people. Both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified attacks in recent weeks as diplomatic efforts led by the United States to end the more than four-year war have failed to produce a breakthrough. The White House said Donald Trump is expected to meet Zelensky during the NATO summit to discuss efforts to end the conflict before holding further talks with Vladimir Putin.