Explosions heard in Kyiv after ballistic missile alert

Explosions lit up the sky over Kyiv as the capital endured a ballistic missile alert overnight, with the city's military administration reporting a fire in a non-residential building in the Obolonsky district. Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to stay in shelters shortly before 3 a.m. local time.

Attacks also struck industrial enterprises in Kryvyi Rig, the central Ukrainian city where President Volodymyr Zelensky grew up, with local authorities reporting missile and drone strikes. Meanwhile, Moscow reported its air defenses shot down at least 38 drones threatening the Russian capital overnight, according to Mayor Serguei Sobianine.

The escalating strikes come as the conflict, now in its fifth year, intensifies on both sides. July saw a record number of Russian missile launches against Ukraine, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force reports. This surge in attacks coincides with Ukraine's continued appeals to U.S. President Donald Trump for more advanced weaponry.

A UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission report highlighted that last month was the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since May 2022, with 437 deaths and 2,610 injuries. Kyiv, in particular, has suffered heavily, recording at least 54 deaths and 202 injuries. The UN has documented 12,477 civilian casualties this year, a 44% increase from the same period last year and more than double the figure from 2024. In response to daily bombardments, Ukraine has also increased its drone attacks targeting Russia.

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Kiev is attacked with ballistic missiles. Stay in shelters!