Russia strikes Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles

What the report says

Russian forces launched a wave of ballistic missiles at Kyiv early Wednesday, according to officials cited by Al Jazeera. The attack hit Ukraine’s capital as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues to intensify, coming shortly after at least 27 people were reported killed in separate attacks in both countries earlier this week.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a 20-storey residential building in the Obolon district caught fire after the strike. He also said Ukrainian air-defense units were responding. The city’s military administration said warehouse buildings were set ablaze in two districts and warned that the danger remained high.

Al Jazeera reported that the strike adds to a recent rise in attacks on civilians and underscores Ukraine’s continuing pressure for more US-made Patriot missile interceptors. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has argued that limited interceptor supplies make such assaults more likely, and he discussed domestic Patriot production with US President Donald Trump last week, according to the report.

The article also noted that UN human rights monitors have warned about rising civilian casualties, which have reached their highest levels since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The broader conflict has shown no sign of easing as both sides continue to trade attacks.