Russia-Ukraine War: Russia Unleashes Firestorm, Kyiv Undefended | WION News

In Russia's second attack on Kiev in less than a week, at least 28 have been killed and hundreds injured. The deadly strikes have exposed how Ukraine is running short of Patriot anti-missile systems. Our next report decodes how a barrage of Moscow's ballistic missiles are exploiting a global shortage of interceptors. A wave of Russian missiles and drones roar across Ukrainian skies. A series of explosions ring out. Fireballs illuminate the night sky. Large clouds of smoke hang in the air. Kiev has come under attack. The fresh Russian barrage comes less than a week after it launched the deadliest attack of the year. I am in one of the areas of one attack and as you can see behind me, rescue crews are carrying out what has become an all too familiar routine of looking for survivors under the rubble. Moments ago we saw a body being lowered down to the ground. The air force says that while many of the cruise missiles and drones were intercepted, all 29 ballistics reached their target. They're saying that Russia is taking advantage of a Ukrainian vulnerability. For the people of Kiev, woken up by the devastating wave of midnight strikes, a nightmare unfolded all through the morning. With windows shattered, vehicles burning and buildings reduced to rubble, the scramble for shelter in the dark made the battle for survival even harder. We can see that this war is entering a new phase. It's difficult to predict what comes next. The escalation is reaching a new level and we don't know what to expect. The Russians just want to destroy the people. I can't wrap my head around it. When people are killed, it's terrifying and there's no safe place. You never know where something might strike. So in the end, all of Ukraine is an unsafe place. Russia used a combination of ballistic cruise missiles and drones to pummel Ukraine hard. Moscow deployed six Zircon anti-ship missiles, 23 Iskander MS-400 ballistic missiles, 33 Th-101 cruise missiles, 351 Shahib and Paraty decoy drones. The latest Russian assault has exposed a grim reality. Ukraine has virtually ran out of Patriot interceptors that stop ballistic missiles. Zelensky has called on the US to give higher priority to Kiev's urgent missile defence needs. But Ukraine is among the 20 countries that are waiting in line for Patriot interceptors, for which the stockpiles are low and manufacturing can take over two years. The timing of the assault is crucial. It follows hours after Zelensky warned of a large-scale Russian attack. The strikes come ahead of the NATO summit where efforts to end the war are expected to be discussed. As the fighting rages on, the Kremlin claims that it has captured Kostiantynivka. The strategically important eastern town serves as a gateway to key Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk region. But Ukrainian president has outrightly dismissed Russia's claims. Fighting is also ongoing for Kostiantynivka, which Putin has already claimed for himself, but it's clear he will never risk showing up there, because in reality, what belongs to him is only Moscow, St. Petersburg and his residences. This is the greatest cynicism of this war. A man who relies solely on his inner circle, on Moscow and on his favourite residences, is burning down everything he can reach. Both Russia and Ukraine have hardened their stance, but Trump, who repositions himself as a peacemaker, has a big challenge ahead. As the US president and his European allies converge at NATO summit in Turkey, the big question is, can Trump set the ball rolling for Russia-Ukraine peace agreement?