Russia Launches Major Ballistic Missile Attack on Kyiv, Exposing Ukraine's Air Defense Gaps

Russia launched one of its most significant ballistic missile assaults on Kyiv early Sunday, striking multiple Ukrainian cities and resulting in at least seven fatalities and numerous injuries. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces deployed 41 missiles of various types and 125 drones overnight. This offensive again exposed Ukraine's critical shortage of Patriot air defense systems, which are considered the most effective against such projectiles.

The attack on the capital commenced around 1:30 a.m. and continued for several hours, with explosions echoing through the city as air defenses attempted to repel the assault. The Ukrainian Air Force stated that 18 of the 41 missiles and 108 of the 125 drones were intercepted. President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that most of the missiles targeted Kyiv.

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My grandmother lives with me and she cannot walk. How was I supposed to escape and leave her behind?

Local officials reported that the bombardment ignited fires in five districts of the capital, damaging residential buildings, warehouses, offices, industrial facilities, a supermarket, a student dormitory, and dozens of vehicles. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that three individuals were in serious condition. In the Sviatoshynskyi district, rescue teams evacuated four people from a burning apartment building, while in Shevchenkivskyi, firefighters responded to a three-story building engulfed in flames, where one fatality was discovered.

The attack's impact extended to other areas. Near central Kyiv, missiles damaged a metro station and destroyed an underground pedestrian crossing, leaving it in ruins. Emergency crews worked amidst destroyed apartments and smoking structures, with helicopters battling fires from the air. Residents described the terror of the assault, with one man recounting how an explosion tore his balcony door off, hitting him. Another resident took shelter with her seven children in the building's hallway after hearing the ballistic missile alert, recalling the continuous explosions.

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Then one missile after another began to explode.