Russian Air Barrage on Kyiv Kills At Least 18

By Reuters July 2, 2026 Residents pass through debris at a site of a Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv on July 2, 2026. REUTERS / Alina Smutko Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Kyiv on Thursday morning, tearing apart several residential buildings, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens more. Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations. The attack caused the widest destruction in Kyiv so far this year and was the deadliest since at least May, when 24 people were killed in a strike that brought down an apartment block. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who cut short a visit to Ireland to return home, said damage had been reported at more than 20 sites across the capital. "The main strike was directed at Kyiv," Zelensky said. "Air defense supplies for Ukraine are an absolute and critical priority," he said, urging Ukraine's allies to maintain contributions to a fund to buy U.S. weapons, including Patriot air defense missiles for Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a day of mourning in Kyiv for Friday. He said that damage was recorded across the entire city of about 3 million people, with some buildings heavily damaged. Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones overnight, the Ukrainian air force said. Air force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat said the number of ballistic missiles was unusually high and the interception rate for them was low. Russia's Defense Ministry, in a Telegram post, said it targeted military and energy facilities, as well as airports in Kyiv and other locations. It said the attack was retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia. Ukraine, which has stepped up strikes in recent weeks on Russia's domestic fuel supply, said it had hit an oil refinery overnight in the Russian region of Nizhny Novgorod, where the local governor said one person was killed in a strike on an industrial facility. The Kremlin said Russian military commanders briefed President Vladimir Putin about the Russian attacks, adding that Moscow would continue to increase pressure on Ukraine to achieve its war aims. Poland, a NATO and EU member, briefly scrambled fighter jets during the barrage as a preventive measure. Finland also briefly issued a temporary aviation restriction zone in the eastern Gulf of Finland, its defense forces said. Read more about: Ukraine war , Kyiv Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more In Photos: Kyiv Reels From Deadly Russian Missile Attack At least eight people were killed and dozens injured in the deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital in months. 1 Min read Russian Air Attack on Central Kyiv Kills At Least 2, Wounds 6 Ukrainian officials said Russian drones targeted Kyiv’s Pechersky district, home to the presidential palace and government quarter. 1 Min read Russia Launches First Combined Drone and Missile Attack on Kyiv Since Summer Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted four missiles and downed 37 drones launched by Russia across eight regions overnight and into Wednesday morning... 1 Min read Russian Overnight Attacks on Ukraine Kill 6 The strikes came less than two days after Russia finished hosting the BRICS summit, where Putin faced calls from world leaders to end the war. 2 Min read