A massive overnight Russian barrage killed 21 people and wounded dozens across Kyiv and the surrounding region, escalating after earlier strikes that left nine dead in the capital. The assault included 115 drones and 24 ballistic missiles, targeting warehouses, logistics hubs, and a railway station, where eight people died at Kvitneva.
Ukrainian air defences failed to intercept a single ballistic missile during the attack. President Vladimir Zelenskyy said Patriot interceptors could have saved lives, but the United States has withheld supplies citing stocks depleted in its conflict with Iran. Donald Trump denied approving a licence for Ukraine to produce Patriots domestically.
Ukrainian analyst Ivan Stupak likened the situation to owning a supercar with no fuel. Russia typically fires 20 to 30 ballistic missiles per massed strike. Separately, a drone veered off course and crashed onto a Russian beach, killing at least seven, with shots heard before impact.