Russia launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine, firing 68 missiles and 351 attack drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as Kyiv renewed urgent calls for more Patriot interceptor missiles following deadly strikes on residential areas.
The attack killed at least 23 people across Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv region, while dozens more were injured. Rescue and recovery operations remained underway at multiple damaged sites, including residential buildings.
According to Zelensky, Russian forces targeted Kyiv with a mix of Kalibr missiles, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and attack drones. Ukrainian air-defense forces successfully intercepted all six Kalibr missiles and 31 of 33 cruise missiles, he said.
“Whenever the necessary capabilities are available, our warriors deliver truly high interception rates,” Zelensky said, praising Ukrainian air-defense units for their performance against drones and cruise missiles.
However, he said Ukraine’s ability to stop ballistic missiles remains limited due to a shortage of interceptor missiles, particularly those used by Patriot air-defense systems.
“The only explanation for the problem with ballistic missiles is an insufficient number of interceptors,” Zelensky said. “This is especially true for Patriots.”
The Ukrainian president said the latest barrage damaged more than 10 locations across Kyiv, including residential buildings. Emergency services rescued at least 64 people, including two children, while around 60 others were reported injured in the capital.
Eleven people were confirmed dead in Kyiv, Zelensky said, offering condolences to the victims’ families. In the Kyiv region, three people were killed and 16 others were injured.
A major fire continued to burn at the site of a missile strike in Vyshneve, where residents were evacuated from a residential neighborhood. More than 400 emergency workers and police officers were deployed to respond to the aftermath of the attack.
Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had again demonstrated that they could effectively defend cities when supplied with adequate air-defense systems and interceptor missiles.
He argued that the shortage of Patriot missiles has left Ukrainian cities vulnerable to Russian ballistic attacks, despite Ukraine’s proven ability to intercept incoming threats when sufficient weapons are available.
“It is simply nonsensical that, in today’s world, production has still not been scaled up to the level that is actually needed to protect people from ballistic terror,” Zelensky said.
He also renewed his call for the United States to grant Ukraine licenses to manufacture Patriot systems and interceptor missiles domestically, saying Ukrainian production could help protect both Ukraine and other countries facing missile threats.
“We have long made the case that we are capable of producing such defensive weapons ourselves,” he said. “If Ukraine were granted U.S. licenses to produce Patriots, our own production would be sufficient both to protect Ukraine and to help partners in need.”
Ukraine is currently in contact with countries that can provide air-defense missiles, Zelensky said, describing the acquisition of interceptor missiles as Kyiv’s “top priority.”
The president urged the United States and European partners to make strong commitments on air defense at the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, warning that Russia would continue targeting civilian areas as long as advanced interceptor missiles remain in allied stockpiles.
“As long as Patriot missiles remain in our allies’ stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings,” Zelensky said. “The United States and Europe have enough strength to stop this terror.”
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