At least 14 people were killed and about 60 others injured after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, early Monday, authorities said.
The attack, which struck residential buildings across the city, came just a day before a crucial NATO summit in Ankara, where Ukraine is expected to press its allies for stronger air defence support.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia fired 68 missiles and 351 attack drones during the overnight bombardment. He said Ukrainian forces intercepted many of the drones and cruise missiles but lacked enough interceptor missiles to stop the ballistic missiles used in the assault.
The strike left extensive destruction in Kyiv, with one apartment block suffering a direct hit that tore through its upper floors and left a massive crater. Officials said around 30 residential buildings were damaged, while emergency workers continued searching through the rubble for survivors.
Residents described scenes of panic as multiple explosions rocked the capital during the night.
A local resident, Oleksandr Bakhlukov, said powerful blasts shattered windows throughout his apartment building, adding that there was not a single pane of glass left intact after the attack.
Authorities in the nearby suburb of Vyshneve also began evacuating residents over fears that unexploded ordnance remained in the debris.
In response to the attack, Zelensky urged NATO members to adopt decisive measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence capabilities at the summit.
He stressed that support from the United States and European allies was critical to protecting civilians from continued Russian missile strikes.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed the call, saying Ukraine urgently requires additional air defence systems, a matter expected to feature prominently during NATO discussions.
The latest assault was the second major attack on Kyiv within a week involving Russia’s use of difficult-to-intercept ballistic missiles.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed carrying out what it described as a “massive strike” using missiles and drones against military-industrial facilities as well as fuel and energy infrastructure across several Ukrainian regions.
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Meanwhile, Russia claimed its air defence systems intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones overnight, with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin saying several waves of the drones had targeted the Russian capital.
The renewed escalation comes as diplomatic efforts to end the more than four-year conflict remain stalled.
The White House said US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday to discuss ways of ending the war before holding follow-up talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, key disagreements remain unresolved, with the Kremlin maintaining demands that Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected.
Fighting has also continued along the front lines, with Russia claiming recent gains in eastern Ukraine, although Kyiv insists its forces are still resisting Russian advances.