Russian strikes kill 12 in Kyiv as Ukraine runs low on air defences
The Ukrainian leader Zelenskiy called for "strong decisions" at the NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday in Ankara, to ensure Ukraine can defend itself.
Summary
- Death toll in Kyiv rises to 12, three dead in Kyiv region
- Ukraine was unable to stop any of Russia's ballistic missiles
- New assault comes few days after deadliest strike this year on Thursday
- Russia says it hit military, energy facilities in Kyiv and surrounding region
- Trump, Zelenskiy to meet this week at NATO summit in Turkey
Russia hammered Kyiv with missiles and drones early on Monday (6 July), killing at least 12 people, officials said, as shortages of US-made interceptors left the Ukrainian capital struggling to defend itself, just days after the deadliest attack this year.
The heavy overnight bombardment came ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey this week, where US President Donald Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to make a renewed push to end the war, now in its fifth year.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Ukraine's air force data showed it was unable to down any of the 23 ballistic missiles fired by Russia, highlighting the critical shortage of US-made interceptors. Moscow has escalated its air war this year as its progress on the battlefield has slowed.
Ukraine intercepted 37 other missiles and more than 90% of the 351 drones used during the attack, the air force said.
Zelenskiy has repeatedly said Ukraine needs more interceptors for its US-made Patriot missile defence system - the only weapon in its arsenal that can effectively down ballistic projectiles, whose high velocity and steep flight path make them difficult to stop.
Zelenskiy urges 'strong decisions' from Nato
The Ukrainian leader called for "strong decisions" at the NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday in Ankara, to ensure Ukraine can defend itself.
"As long as Patriot missiles sit in our allies' stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings," Zelenskiy said on X. "The US and Europe have the power to stop this terror."
As rescue operations continued into the morning, emergency crews were looking for residents in buildings shattered by the overnight barrage.
Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the death toll in the capital had risen to 12 and more than 50 people were wounded across the city. In one of the districts, bodies of an entire family — two parents and their child – were pulled from the rubble, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
The attack came days after 31 people were killed in a Russian attack on Kyiv on Thursday - the deadliest strike on the city this year.
Close to 30 residential buildings were significantly damaged in the attack, including a nine-storey block in the historic Podilskyi district which had been largely destroyed from the fifth level up, officials said.
Podilskyi, along with the eastern Darnytskyi district, were at the epicentre of the strikes, the General Prosecutor's office said. Damage was also recorded in two other city districts.
'She's so kind'
In Podilskyi, rescue crews sifted through rubble as smoke rose from an apartment block with a gaping hole in its top floors.
Reuters television footage showed what appeared to be human remains trapped beneath concrete debris on an upper floor of a building.
Emergency workers used ladder trucks to reach upper floors while firefighters battled lingering flames. A 22-year-old Alyona was waiting to hear news about her 19-year-old friend Vika, who was missing after the attack.
"We're sitting here and waiting until they retrieve them ... She's so kind, only 19 years old. She's such a kind girl," Alyona told Reuters, holding back tears, as she watched the rescue operation from a nearby playground.
Barrage of missiles and drones
Russia's defence ministry said on Monday its forces had conducted a "massive" attack on Kyiv and other locations with long-range, high-precision air-, land-, sea-launched weapons and drones.
The ministry also said military and energy facilities were hit in Kyiv and its surrounding region, as well as military airfields in several other Ukrainian regions.
Reuters witnesses reported a series of explosions in and around the capital and said air defences were in action against Russian drones.
Five people were killed and 26 injured in the region surrounding Kyiv and the southern Black Sea port of Odesa also came under attack with at least one person injured, local officials said.
In recent months, Ukraine has slowed Russian advances along the 1,200-km (746-mile) frontline, and has retaken territory in some areas while intensifying its own strikes deep into Russian territory, mainly on energy targets.
On Saturday, Zelenskiy and Ukraine's military denied a Russian claim that the strategically important eastern city of Kostiantynivka has been captured.
Taking Kostiantynivka, the southern-most part of a string of heavily fortified cities that comprise Ukraine's so-called "fortress belt" in Donetsk region, would give Russian forces a foothold from which to push north, analysts say.
Ukraine launched new drone attacks on Russia, damaging the Baltic Sea ports of Vysotsk and Ust-Luga, a major oil exporting outlet, Russian authorities said on Monday. Ukrainian attacks also caused a power blackout in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
