President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ukraine’s allies to accelerate supplies of air defence systems after an overnight Russian attack on Kyiv killed at least 17 people and injured dozens, according to Ukrainian officials.
Preliminary figures from Ukraine’s air force said Ukrainian defences intercepted 98 of 115 drones launched by Russia during the assault, but did not shoot down any ballistic missiles. The attack, which began after midnight on Wednesday, struck several locations in and around the capital.
Zelenskyy said the failure to intercept the missiles showed the urgent need for more anti-ballistic capabilities. “Ballistic missile interceptors could have saved the lives of those killed today,” he wrote on social media, arguing that delays in supplying such systems had direct consequences for civilians and infrastructure.
Kyiv has for months pressed its partners for additional US-made Patriot interceptors and related systems, which are among the main platforms capable of countering ballistic missiles. The issue has remained central to Ukraine’s requests for military assistance as Russia has intensified aerial attacks on cities, energy assets and logistics infrastructure.
Ukraine’s military administration said seven sites were hit in the latest attack. Zelenskyy said the principal targets were warehouse facilities used by civilian companies, including a brewery and storage sites for construction materials. The Russian defence ministry said its forces had struck logistics hubs and supply centres in Kyiv and the surrounding region, claiming they served military purposes.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said rescuers were still working at damaged sites and warned that people could remain trapped under debris. Emergency workers pulled two people from the ruins of a warehouse near the city centre, he said. Among the injured was an ambulance driver, while four people were reported to be in critical condition.
Local officials said the strike caused fires at warehouses and storage facilities, including a large blaze on the outskirts of Kyiv. Debris from a downed missile fell near a residential building, according to the mayor. The Kyiv military administration also reported an ammonia leak at one site, with emergency services deployed to contain it.
Residents reported hearing explosions across the city as air defence units responded. Smoke remained visible in parts of Kyiv hours after the strikes. One resident, Natalia Reutska, told AFP that the night had been “terrifying” and said many people in the capital had become accustomed to waking up relieved that their homes had not been hit.
Zelenskyy also urged governments unwilling or unable to provide more interceptors to expand sanctions on Russia’s missile production network. He said further measures were needed from the G7, the European Union and other partners, adding that parts of Russia’s ballistic missile supply chain remained outside existing sanctions regimes.
The attack came amid continuing strikes by both sides on logistics targets. In Russia, Ukraine has recently targeted facilities linked to supply and distribution networks, including logistics hubs associated with the online retailer Wildberries. The wider pattern underscores the growing importance of air defence, industrial capacity and sanctions enforcement as the war continues to affect urban centres and civilian infrastructure.
