Russia’s latest missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 28 people, Ukrainian officials said, as the assault exposed Ukraine’s worsening shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air-defence interceptors.
Rescue teams spent Monday searching through the rubble of a damaged high-rise building in Kyiv after the overnight bombardment tore open its upper floors. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said nearly 30 buildings were significantly damaged in the capital.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 23 ballistic missiles during the attack and that Ukrainian defences did not shoot down any of them. The result highlighted Kyiv’s growing vulnerability to high-speed ballistic weapons as supplies of Patriot interceptor missiles run low.
Patriot systems remain Ukraine’s key defence against ballistic missiles, which are harder to intercept because of their speed and steep flight path. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the shortage was leaving Ukrainian cities exposed.
“It is simply absurd that, in the modern world, production has still not been scaled up to the level actually required to protect people from ballistic terror,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
He said Ukraine could produce the weapons itself if it received U.S. licences to manufacture Patriot systems, adding that Ukrainian production could eventually help both Ukraine and partner countries.
Ukraine’s air defences performed better against other weapons used in the attack. The air force said it intercepted 37 other missiles and more than 90% of the 351 drones launched by Russia. But the failure to stop the ballistic missiles showed the limits of Ukraine’s current defence network.
Zelenskyy called for “strong decisions” from allies at the NATO summit in Turkey, where he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. He said Patriot missiles sitting in allied stockpiles were urgently needed to prevent further strikes on residential buildings.
“As long as Patriot missiles sit in our allies’ stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings,” Zelenskyy said on X.
The latest attack came days after another deadly Russian bombardment of Kyiv and added pressure on Ukraine’s partners ahead of the summit. Ukrainian air force data cited by officials showed that air defences have shot down only four of 49 ballistic missiles fired by Russia in July.
Moscow has repeatedly used missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities, energy sites and civilian infrastructure. Ukraine says its ability to protect major population centres now depends heavily on faster deliveries of interceptors and expanded production of air-defence systems.
