At least 17 people were killed and dozens more wounded in Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, authorities said on Wednesday, as Moscow intensifies attacks on civilian areas in the fifth year of the conflict.
A woman was killed and at least 24 others wounded in the capital after the barrage slammed into residential buildings and several warehouses, sparking fires across four districts, according to Kyiv's military administration. In the surrounding region, 14 people died and more than 20 were injured.
Overwhelming Attack, Zero Interceptions
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, wrote on Telegram that Kyiv region experienced one of its most tragic enemy attacks yet again overnight. He said Russia had once again brought death and destruction to the land, taking the lives of civilians, and that accountability would follow for every such crime.
Journalists with the AFP news agency heard explosions in Kyiv after midnight, following Ukrainian air force warnings of incoming ballistic missiles. One journalist reported seeing dark smoke and smelling burning hours later. Ukraine's Air Force said in a Telegram post that Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, four hypersonic missiles and 115 Shahed-type drones during the attack. None of the missiles were intercepted.
The failure to stop a single ballistic missile underscores Ukraine's desperate need for more air defence systems. Kyiv has in recent months urged allies to supply more US-made Patriot interceptors as Russia steps up its use of ballistic missiles. Both sides have increased long-range attacks in recent weeks, with Russia more than doubling its use of missiles in July, according to an AFP analysis.
Civilian Infrastructure Under Fire
Drone strikes have become a regular occurrence, with Ukraine intensifying its attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities and logistics in Russia. Five people were killed and 10 others wounded in the Moscow region on Tuesday morning in strikes that targeted depots of the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries. Moscow's mayor said on Wednesday the country's air defences had intercepted and destroyed at least 10 drones heading toward the Russian capital.
The governor of Tula region, south of Moscow, said Russian defences destroyed 107 Ukrainian drones in the area overnight. He said two apartment buildings were damaged and that a drone fell on the grounds of a Wildberries logistics facility in the region, causing a fire. The company, which Ukraine has accused of storing drone parts and helping the Russian army, said it ordered a precautionary evacuation.
Deliberate Targeting of Civilians
Ukraine also expressed outrage over a video showing a man chased by a drone in Kherson city, calling it a deliberate hunt and safari targeting civilians. UN human rights monitors have voiced concern about rising numbers of civilian casualties, which have reached their highest level since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said a lack of ballistic missile interceptors only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives. He met his US counterpart Donald Trump last Tuesday, partly to lobby Washington for licences to produce Patriots domestically.
Why This Matters:
The overnight barrage on Kyiv represents a deadly escalation in Russia's targeting of civilian areas, with none of the 24 ballistic missiles intercepted — a failure that reflects the gap between Ukraine's defence needs and what Western allies have provided. UN monitors report civilian casualties are now at their highest since the invasion began, a grim milestone that demands urgent action. President Zelensky's appeal for domestic Patriot production isn't just about military strategy — it's about protecting ordinary people from attacks designed to terrorise populations and break morale. As both sides intensify strikes on civilian infrastructure, the human cost continues to mount, underscoring the moral imperative for Europe and the US to provide Ukraine with the defensive systems needed to protect its cities and the diplomatic support to achieve a just peace.