Russian missile and drone strikes kill 24 in Kyiv ahead of NATO summit

Lead

Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv early on Monday, killing at least 24 people and wounding dozens, in the second large-scale assault on the Ukrainian capital in less than a week, Ukrainian authorities said. The attack came ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet US President Donald Trump and plead for stronger air defences.

Rescue crews in Kyiv were searching for survivors trapped under the rubble of damaged apartment blocks, Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said. At least 46 people were injured in the capital, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration, while additional deaths and injuries were reported in the surrounding region.

Coverage comparison

The reported death toll varied across outlets, reflecting the evolving situation. Early figures from Al Jazeera and the BBC put the number of dead in Kyiv at 10 and nine respectively, with the BBC noting that rescuers were still combing through wreckage. Deutsche Welle reported at least 22 people killed across the city and region, while France 24 and The Hindu reported at least 24 and 26 deaths respectively. The Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, said at least 11 people had been killed in the capital. The discrepancies appear to reflect different reporting times and the inclusion or exclusion of casualties from the wider Kyiv region.

All sources agreed that Russia launched a volley of 68 missiles and 351 drones overnight, with Ukraine's air force reporting that it had shot down or neutralised 37 missiles and 326 drones, but none of the ballistic or hypersonic missiles. The attack was the second on Kyiv within a week; a previous strike on Thursday had killed more than 30 people, according to several reports.

The strikes came as Zelensky had warned, in a Sunday night address, that intelligence indicated Russia was preparing another massive attack before the NATO summit in Turkey, which begins Tuesday. The summit is expected to focus heavily on Ukraine's air defence needs.

Key claims

• At least 24 people were killed in Kyiv and surrounding areas, with the death toll varying by report (Al Jazeera, BBC, Deutsche Welle, France 24, Jerusalem Post, The Hindu).

• At least 46 people were injured in Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration (Al Jazeera, BBC).

• Russia launched 68 missiles, including ballistic, cruise and hypersonic types, and 351 drones in the attack (Al Jazeera, BBC, Deutsche Welle, France 24, Jerusalem Post, The Hindu).

• Ukrainian air defences intercepted 37 missiles and 326 drones, but failed to shoot down any ballistic or hypersonic missiles (Jerusalem Post).

• The attack damaged more than a dozen residential buildings in Kyiv, including in the historic Podilskyi district, and caused fires at two warehouses and a damaged school (Al Jazeera, The Hindu).

• President Zelensky decried the "brutal strike", saying "the Russians' tactics are unchanged: to inflict as much pain and damage as possible on Ukrainians and on Ukraine" (France 24, The Hindu).

• Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said the main reason for the lack of defence against ballistic missiles was a shortage of Patriot missiles (Deutsche Welle).

• The attack occurred ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey, where Zelensky is expected to hold talks with US President Donald Trump (Jerusalem Post, France 24, The Hindu).

• Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack targeted military manufacturing facilities in the Ukrainian capital (The Hindu).

Perspectives

Ukrainian government and military

Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky and military spokespeople, presented the attack as deliberate targeting of civilians and called on allies to urgently supply more air defence systems, particularly interceptors for Patriot batteries. They stressed that the country was unable to shoot down ballistic missiles due to a shortage of munitions.

Russian Defence Ministry

The Russian Defence Ministry said the strike targeted military manufacturing facilities in Kyiv that produce long-range missiles and drones, framing the attack as part of its military strategy against Ukrainian infrastructure.

NATO leadership

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in Ankara: "Allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs," underscoring the alliance's commitment to support Ukraine amid the renewed attacks.