Russia launches another massive attack on Kyiv, with over 400 drones and missiles
Russia launched a second night of large-scale aerial attacks on Ukraine early Thursday, targeting Kyiv and multiple western regions with a combination of drones, cruise missiles, and othercballistic weapons. The six-hour assault, which began just after 1 a.m., followed what officials described as the heaviest single-night barrage since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Air raid sirens sounded across the capital, forcing residents to seek shelter in metro stations and underground garages. In the Pechersk district, reporters from the Kyiv Independent documented the sound of Shahed drones overhead, followed by explosions and anti-aircraft fire. By sunrise, the city had suffered significant damage and casualties.
Kyiv city authorities confirmed at least two people were killed: a 68-year-old woman and a 22-year-old police officer. Twenty-four others were injured, with ten hospitalized.
Fires broke out in several neighborhoods after debris from intercepted drones struck residential buildings, gas stations, and garages. A healthcare facility in the Podil district sustained serious damage, and the Kanal 5 television studio reported the destruction of production equipment.
“This was a calculated attempt to terrorize the civilian population and disrupt critical infrastructure,” said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klytschko. “But emergency services acted swiftly, and many lives were saved.”
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched a total of 397 aerial threats overnight, including 200 Shahed drones, as well as Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Kh-101 cruise missiles, and S-300 surface-to-air missiles used in ground-attack mode. Air defenses reportedly downed 164 drones and all incoming cruise and ballistic missiles, while over 200 targets disappeared from radar, presumed destroyed or diverted by jamming systems.
The attack came less than 24 hours after a previous barrage of over 700 drones and missiles struck Ukraine overnight on July 9 — the most intensive combined strike since 2022. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the renewed campaign as “a deliberate escalation of terror.”
“Russia is testing the limits of our defenses, and of international resolve,” he said in a morning briefing.
He renewed calls for expanded air defense systems, more drones, and increased sanctions against the Russian war economy.
In western Ukraine, explosions were reported in the Ternopil and Rivne oblasts, where energy and logistics infrastructure may have been the intended targets. No casualties were reported in those regions, though damage assessments were ongoing.
As cleanup began in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials reiterated that the attacks were timed to coincide with the country’s outreach to international partners ahead of upcoming summits in Rome and Washington focused on reconstruction and defense support.
