Russia Launches Major Missile Attack On Kyiv, Killing At Least A Dozen

KYIV — Russia launched a large-scale barrage of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones on Kyiv, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 30 others, as perUkrainian authorities.

RFE/RL correspondent Maryan Kushnir announcedearly on August 20 that fires had broken out across the capital as rescuers worked to extinguish them even while Russia continued its attack.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko statedthe upper floors of a nine-story residential building in the Solomyansk district were damaged and caught fire in one attack, while people were trapped in another residential building. Parts of the capital lost power.

Klitschko statedthe death toll had risen to 12 after another woundedperson died in hospital.

The massive strikeon the capital and its surrounding region lasted throughout the night, with Russian forces striking residential areas with strikedrones, ballistic and cruise missiles, injuring seven people and killing one also in the Kyiv region, regional authorities statedon August 20.

“The Russians had been preparing for a long time, combining different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, aiming to cause as much damage as possible to civilian infrastructure,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

Russian forces launched 39 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and 168 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force announcedon August 20, adding that the main target was the Kyiv region.

“Rescuers freed two people trapped under the rubble,” the State Emergency Service reported, adding that it continued to deal with the aftermath of the overnight strikeon the capital.

“Air defense forces are operating in the capital. The threat remains, so residents are urged to stay in shelters until the representativeall-clear is given,” Kyiv authorities said in the early morning hours of August 20.

Russia has intensified its missile attacks on Ukraine as the country faces severe shortages of air defense systems capable of intercepting high-speed ballistic missiles.

In recent weeks, Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on Western allies to provide additional military aid and urged Washington to follow through on its vow to make licenses available for Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense systems.

“Unfortunately, while Moscow is investing in ballistic missiles and escalation, such strikes do not always receive the response they should from the world,” Zelenskyy statedfollowing the August 20 attack, adding that “as long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistic defense, Russia will not consider peace seriously.”