At least 21 people have been killed after Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone assault on Ukraine, with the capital Kyiv and its surrounding region suffering the deadliest attacks of the year so far.
According to Ukrainian authorities, 17 of the fatalities occurred in Kyiv and the surrounding region, while one person was killed in Kharkiv and three others died in Donetsk. Dozens more were injured as residential buildings, warehouses and transport infrastructure were damaged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the heavy casualties highlighted the urgent need for additional air defence systems, particularly US-made Patriot missile interceptors. He argued that more interceptors could have prevented many of the deaths and criticised delays in military assistance from partner nations.
Zelensky also revealed that deliveries of anti-ballistic missile interceptors had declined significantly this year, warning that the shortage was contributing to growing civilian casualties and widespread destruction. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia fired 24 ballistic missiles, four anti-ship missiles, and 115 attack drones during the overnight assault.
Air defence units successfully intercepted 98 of the drones, but Ukrainian authorities did not report intercepting any of the ballistic missiles used in the attack. Russian forces said the strikes targeted military logistics hubs, supply centres and facilities involved in the production and storage of weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles around Kyiv. Moscow also claimed to have struck three cargo vessels near the Black Sea port of Odesa that it alleged were transporting military equipment.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said emergency crews continued searching through damaged buildings amid concerns that additional victims could still be trapped beneath the rubble. Fires broke out at multiple locations across the Kyiv region, with firefighters working to contain blazes covering approximately 230,000 square metres. In Kharkiv, regional authorities reported one death and several injuries following Russian shelling, while Donetsk officials confirmed three deaths and 27 injuries from separate attacks.
Recent Ukrainian Air Force data indicate that the country’s missile interception rate has declined compared with the same period last year. Between early July and early August 2026, Ukraine intercepted about 44 percent of incoming Russian missiles, compared with nearly 67 percent during the same period in 2025. The figures also show that Russia has significantly increased the number of missiles launched over the past month.
While Russia has intensified its air campaign against Ukrainian cities, Ukraine has also stepped up drone attacks inside Russian territory. In Russia’s Tula region, officials reported that a Ukrainian drone struck a warehouse belonging to online retailer Wildberries, causing a fire and injuring one person. The facility had been evacuated before the impact.
The latest escalation follows several recent cross-border attacks, including Ukrainian strikes on warehouses in Russia and Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. Both Moscow and Kyiv continue to deny deliberately targeting civilians during the conflict.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union had received €1.4 billion from immobilised Russian assets, with the funds expected to be used to support Ukraine’s ongoing defence efforts.
