Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv kills at least 15 as sources dispute toll and air defence success

Russia attacked Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight with 27 ballistic missiles and 185 drones, killing at least 15 people, according to Ukrainian reports. Several fires broke out across the region after the strikes. One source, tagesschau.de, put the death toll higher, at least 17, while other reports spoke of at least one death, leaving the true figure unclear. The attack marks an escalation in Russia's air campaign. Sources report that Moscow is now using more ballistic missiles than before, weapons Ukraine is currently barely able to defend against. Accounts of the night differ sharply: one source says none of the ballistic missiles were intercepted, another that only one of the 27 was brought down. Moscow described the strike as a "mass attack with precision weapons." The barrage lands at a moment of acute vulnerability for Kyiv. Ukraine has pressed the United States for months for additional Patriot interceptor missiles, and President Zelensky has warned of dwindling ammunition for the systems. Dozens were reported injured, and the disputed interception figures underscore how exposed the capital has become.

Overnight missile and drone barrage on Kyiv

Russia attacked Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight with 27 ballistic missiles and 185 drones. Several fires broke out in the Kyiv region following the strikes.

The death toll is disputed. At least 15 people were killed in Kyiv and the surrounding area, according to multiple reports. Tagesschau.de, however, puts the figure higher, reporting at least 17 dead in what it describes as a renewed Russian wave of attacks on the capital. One source also speaks of dozens injured, though no precise count of the wounded has been given.

The attack ranks among the heaviest combined missile and drone barrages directed at the capital region. It comes at a time when, according to observers, Russia has shifted towards using more ballistic missiles in its strikes on Ukraine — weapons that are considerably harder to intercept than drones or cruise missiles.

Air defences overwhelmed: conflicting claims on interceptions

Ukrainian air defences were active during the attack, according to reports. But accounts of their effectiveness diverge sharply. One source states that none of the ballistic missiles could be intercepted. Another reports that only one of the 27 ballistic missiles launched at Kyiv was shot down. Both figures point to a near-total failure against the ballistic threat, even if the precise count remains in dispute.

The episode fits a wider assessment, attributed to sources rather than officially confirmed, that Ukraine is currently barely able to defend against ballistic missiles. Such weapons follow a ballistic trajectory to their target, making them far harder to stop than drones or cruise missiles. Reports also suggest logistics centres are increasingly being targeted in the attacks, a pattern that would place further strain on already stretched air defence coverage around the capital.

Patriot shortage and Moscow's account of the strike

The strike comes as Russia is reportedly deploying more ballistic missiles, a trend that has sharpened Ukraine's pleas for air defence support. Kyiv has pressed for months for additional US Patriot interceptor missiles, and President Zelenskyy has warned of a shortage of ammunition for the Patriot systems Ukraine already operates.

Moscow offered its own account of the overnight attack, describing it as a "mass attack with precision weapons", according to the source reporting the statement.

Separately, Ukraine has claimed that Russia plans to station 90 North Korean soldiers in the Voronezh region. That figure comes from Ukrainian statements and has not been independently confirmed. The reported deployment would point to a continued North Korean role in Russia's war effort, though the details remain unverified.

Ukraine's drone response and the FP-9 speculation

Ukraine struck back in parallel with drones, hitting a warehouse, according to one source. The briefing also records a renewed Ukrainian attack on a Wildberries warehouse, though neither its location nor the timing relative to the missile strike is known.

Reports cited in the briefing describe air raid sirens sounding over Moscow and the sighting of an unidentified flying object. That has fuelled speculation, circulating but unconfirmed, that Ukraine may have used its new FP-9 ballistic missile for the first time. There is no confirmation of this, and the claim should be treated with caution.

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