Russia bombs Kyiv in major escalation ahead of NATO summit

Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Kyiv overnight, marking the second significant attack on the capital in less than a week. Ukrainian authorities reported at least 14 people killed and over 117 injured, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue.

Explosions rocked the city as drones and seven ballistic missiles struck Kyiv. Fires broke out in buildings and vehicles, a residential building partially collapsed, and several apartment blocks sustained damage. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's city administration, described the ongoing rescue efforts on Telegram.

This latest barrage follows a Thursday attack that killed 31 people, described as Russia's largest assault on the city since the war began. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed "massive" strikes targeting military and energy facilities, framing the attacks as retaliation for recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.

Military strategy expert Johan Huovinen noted the increased use of more effective weaponry in the recent attacks. While Ukraine successfully intercepts 90% of drones, it struggles against cruise and ballistic missiles, managing to neutralize only about 30%. Huovinen cited three reasons for Russia's escalation: Ukraine's successful attacks on Russian energy facilities, crippling an estimated 30% of the oil industry; Ukrainian military gains on the occupied Crimean Peninsula, leading to fuel and food shortages; and the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to attend.

Huovinen suggested that Russia's shift in rhetoric, from calling the conflict a "special operation" to acknowledging an impending "war with Ukraine," signals a message to the West. He interprets this as Russia implying that Western involvement is the cause of the war, potentially aiming to influence Western nations.