Russian attack on Kyiv kills eight ahead of NATO summit

Russia struck Ukraine's Kyiv region with ballistic missiles on Monday, killing at least eight people and wounding dozens, according to authorities. The assault, the second on the capital and its surroundings in less than a week, underscores the escalating reach of the war more than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion.

“

The enemy is striking with ballistic missiles.

The attacks came on the eve of a NATO summit in Turkey, where US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. These meetings aim to revive stalled peace efforts amid the ongoing conflict. Trump is expected to discuss the war with Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit in Ankara, followed by talks with Putin.

An AFP journalist in Kyiv reported hearing over ten explosions during a ballistic missile alert, followed by another series of blasts. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv region's military administration, confirmed the missile strikes, stating that the enemy was using ballistic missiles. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters as air defenses were active. The attacks resulted in four fires, all in residential buildings, with Tkachenko lamenting, "Places where people were simply sleeping tonight."

“

Places where people were simply sleeping tonight.

In response to the attacks, Ukraine has intensified its own long-range strikes, targeting energy facilities within Russia and Moscow-controlled territories. Meanwhile, Russian officials reported that air defenses shot down several drones bound for the Russian capital. The heightened cross-border attacks signal a dangerous escalation as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain largely stalled.

“

The president's obviously getting together with him to talk about how we can end the war. That's been a priority of his for a long time.