Ukraine war: Russia again attacks Kyiv with ballistic missiles amid air defense shortages

Russia launched another barrage of ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight, with explosions reported across the Ukrainian capital and fires breaking out in two districts, according to city officials. Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters.

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Russia is again attacking the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles.

The Ukrainian Air Force also reported missile, glide bomb, and drone attacks on other regions, including the industrial cities of Kremenchuk and Kryvyi Rih. This escalation comes as Ukraine's armed forces face a critical shortage of air defense munitions after four and a half years of war, making it increasingly difficult to intercept Russia's fast-moving ballistic missiles.

Western-supplied Patriot missile systems are considered the most effective defense against such threats, but Ukraine lacks sufficient interceptor missiles to deploy them fully. This ammunition deficit has led Russia to intensify its ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

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Ukraine's air defense forces have hardly any suitable missiles left to intercept Russia's ballistic projectiles.

In a separate development, Moscow's mayor reported that air defense systems intercepted over 50 Ukrainian drones targeting the Moscow region. Emergency services were deployed to the sites where debris fell. Details on potential damage or casualties were not immediately available, and information from both sides could not be independently verified. Ukraine has relied heavily on Western military aid to defend against Russia's invasion and primarily uses drones for counterattacks into Russian territory.

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Air defense in the capital region intercepted more than 50 drones.