Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a high probability of a massive Russian attack overnight on July 29, 2026, urging all regions to heed air raid sirens. Hours later, explosions from missiles were heard in Kyiv, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the capital was under ballistic missile attack. Strikes were also reported in Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro.
Zelensky stated on X that Russia had prepared the large-scale assault days earlier and stressed Ukraine's dependence on foreign air defense support. Unconfirmed reports indicated Russian Tu-160 bombers were already airborne before the strikes began.
Ukraine faces a shortage of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for its Patriot systems, a deficit worsened since the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran in February 2026. Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on July 28. The U.N. human rights office reported that civilian casualties in Ukraine rose 37 percent in the first half of 2026.