Kyiv: Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, firing a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles in one of the most intense attacks this month. The latest strike marked the fifth major aerial assault on Kyiv in July, underscoring the continuing escalation of Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian military officials, air defence systems were activated across the capital as explosions echoed through the city. Most of the incoming drones and missiles were intercepted, but falling debris and several direct impacts caused damage to residential buildings, commercial properties and critical infrastructure in multiple districts.
Emergency services rushed to the affected areas, where firefighters battled blazes sparked by the attacks while rescue teams searched damaged buildings for survivors. Local authorities reported that several civilians were injured, though officials were still assessing the full extent of the damage and casualties.
The renewed bombardment came as Russia intensified its long-range strikes on Ukrainian cities, using a combination of ballistic missiles and attack drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defence network. Air raid sirens sounded for several hours overnight, forcing thousands of residents to seek shelter in underground metro stations and bomb shelters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, describing them as another deliberate assault on civilian infrastructure, and renewed calls for additional international military assistance, including advanced air defence systems.
The latest strikes have further heightened tensions in the region as the conflict enters another phase of intensified aerial warfare, with both sides continuing military operations despite ongoing international efforts to seek a diplomatic resolution.
