A barrage of Russian ballistic missiles struck Ukraine’s capital overnight into Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring six others, including a 16-year-old boy.
The attack unfolded shortly before 1 a.m. local time. Ukrainian military authorities reported tracking at least eight ballistic missiles directed toward Kyiv, successfully overwhelming the city’s depleted air defense systems. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the casualties and noted that warehouses and non-residential structures sustained direct hits. Drone strikes were simultaneously reported in the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
The bombardment exploits severe current vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense grid. Due to critically depleted stockpiles of U.S.-manufactured Patriot interceptors, the only systems capable of reliably neutralizing ballistic threats, Kyiv remains highly exposed to ongoing Russian aerial campaigns.
The military strike comes during a period of intense domestic political turmoil. Hours before the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov following a tenure of less than a year. Fedorov, who was widely credited with significantly improving the interception rates of Russian drones and cruise missiles, is expected to be replaced by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as part of a broader, unexpected government reshuffle.
