Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv and its surroundings in the early hours of Monday morning, hours before NATO's summit in Ankara. At least 11 people were killed and 56 injured in the attacks, which began after midnight.
Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, reported that at least 10 people were killed and 46 injured in the capital. In the surrounding districts, one person was killed and 10 injured. Officials noted this was the second major attack on Kyiv in less than a week.
The Ukrainian military said Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 drones overnight. According to the Kyiv Independent, the first explosions were heard at around 01:40 local time, with further attacks at 02:10 and 03:15.
As air raid sirens sounded across the country, thousands rushed to underground shelters. At least 15 buildings were damaged in the capital, four of them in the historic Podilskyi district. Firefighters and rescue teams are continuing to search for people trapped under the rubble. Tkachenko said the rescue effort is ongoing and the death toll may rise, adding, 'Unfortunately, this is not the final information.'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his Sunday night address to the nation, warned of a possible new Russian attack ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit beginning on Tuesday.
Zelenskiy said, 'Intelligence again shows that the Russians are preparing a new major attack. This is a typical Putin move: right after America's Independence Day and ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.'
Last weekend, Russia also attacked Kyiv with dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones, killing 31 people. That attack was recorded as the deadliest assault on the capital this year.
Both sides have recently increased the use of long-range weapons. Ukraine is focusing its attacks on energy facilities to undermine Russia's war effort.
Meanwhile, Mikhail Razvozhayev, governor of the Russian-controlled city of Sevastopol in Crimea, announced on Telegram that electricity was temporarily cut off on Monday due to a Ukrainian attack on energy infrastructure near the city.
