Russian Strikes Kill 18 as Ukraine Tensions Rise
At least 18 people have been killed in Ukraine after Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions. The strikes come as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces renewed domestic political pressure following the removal of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and growing debate over wartime elections.
Russian Strikes Kill At Least 18 in Ukraine
Russian forces launched ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones against Kyiv and nearby areas, hitting residential buildings, warehouses and infrastructure.
At least 16 people were killed during the initial missile attacks, with further strikes later raising the reported death toll to at least 18.
A nine-storey residential building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district was heavily damaged, while a children’s hospital also suffered damage. Ukraine said Russia launched at least 44 missiles, claiming that 39 were intercepted.
Ukraine Faces Growing Air Defence Pressure
The latest attacks have renewed concerns over Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles and other air-defence ammunition.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly argued that delays in supplying additional missile-defence systems are costing Ukrainian lives as Russia intensifies long-range attacks.
Russia said its strikes targeted military-industrial facilities, logistics centres and warehouses connected to Ukraine’s defence infrastructure.
Zelenskyy Faces Wartime Election Debate
The attacks come amid political tensions following Fedorov’s removal as defence minister and the appointment of Yevhenii Khmara as his replacement.
Fedorov has called for Ukraine to move towards holding elections, arguing that the country faces a “systemic crisis of governance”.
Ukraine currently prohibits elections under martial law. Zelenskyy’s presidential term formally expired in May 2024, but elections have remained suspended because of the ongoing war.
