Russia launches ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine warns of more strikes
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- Kyiv came under a Russian ballistic missile attack early Thursday, with Mayor Vitali Klitschko reporting a storage facility was struck in a western suburb of the capital
- Ukraine's Air Force warned that at least eight ballistic missiles were heading toward Kyiv and that additional strikes were approaching, urging residents to remain in shelters while air defence systems engaged
- Debris from intercepted missiles fell on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, according to Kyiv officials, while explosions continued to be reported in the city
- Air raid alerts were issued across multiple regions, including Vinnytsia Oblast, as the Air Force warned of waves of Russian Shahed-type drones heading toward several Ukrainian cities
- Kharkiv reported explosions following drone strikes as ballistic missiles continued targeting Kyiv, extending the barrage beyond the capital
- The attacks came as Ukrainians were still reacting to the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was removed from office after less than a year in the role
Why it matters: The simultaneous targeting of Kyiv with at least eight ballistic missiles and of multiple regions with waves of Shahed-type drones reflects a coordinated, multi-vector Russian aerial campaign. The strikes land shortly after Defence Minister Fedorov's removal, layering political turbulence onto a military crisis already stretching Ukraine's air defences across regions.
