Ukraine’s Air Force has revealed that a critical shortage of interceptor missiles prevented it from shooting down any of the 23 ballistic missiles launched by Russia during a devastating overnight attack on Kyiv, raising fresh concerns about the country’s air defence capabilities.
The large-scale assault on Sunday night killed at least 15 people in the Ukrainian capital, according to officials, while another eight people died in the surrounding Kyiv region. Dozens more were injured as residential buildings suffered extensive damage.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched a total of 68 missiles and 351 attack drones during what he described as a “massive Russian attack.” Ukrainian forces managed to destroy or suppress 37 missiles and 326 drones, but none of the ballistic missiles were intercepted due to the lack of available defensive systems.
In a statement posted on X, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies to take decisive action during this week’s Nato summit, stressing that Moscow would continue targeting civilian areas as long as Patriot interceptor missiles remained unused in allied stockpiles.
The attack left scenes of devastation across Kyiv. Several apartment buildings partially collapsed after being struck, with emergency crews spending hours searching through the rubble for survivors. Helicopters were deployed to carry water from the river in an effort to extinguish fires burning across the city.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said 56 people were injured in Kyiv, including seven children. Authorities in the wider Kyiv region reported another 48 injuries.
In the Podilskyi district, rescue teams used sniffer dogs and heavy machinery to search the remains of a residential building that suffered a direct missile hit. Family members of missing residents waited nearby as emergency workers removed giant slabs of concrete.
Residents described a terrifying night of explosions and destruction. One woman, Olena, said she remained at home instead of going to a shelter because she was exhausted and needed rest before work.
“After the first blast, nearby, the glass shattered and hit us, almost on our heads. Then everything was shaking,” she said.
Questioning why Ukraine failed to intercept any of the ballistic missiles, she added: “The missiles hit our houses, and that’s terrible. Really scary. It seems we have nothing to intercept them with. So where are our partners? What’s happening?”
The latest assault came only days after another major Russian strike on Kyiv that killed 30 people. Ukraine has accused Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Russia insists it has been attacking military and energy infrastructure in response to Ukrainian operations inside Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Kyiv has continued its long-range campaign against Russian energy facilities. Ukrainian forces claimed responsibility for strikes on three Russian oil refineries, including the country’s largest refinery in Omsk, located more than 2,400 kilometres from Ukraine’s border.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukraine launched 625 long-range drones and claimed its air defences destroyed 613 of them.
As Nato leaders prepare to gather in Ankara, reports indicate that Zelensky may meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit. The Ukrainian leader said it was “critically important” for the United States and European allies to make firm decisions on strengthening Ukraine’s air defence systems.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed that Ukraine’s urgent request for additional air defence support would be a major topic of discussion during the summit.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, with the conflict continuing to exact a heavy human and economic toll on both sides.
