At Least 18 Killed In Ukraine As Russia Launches New Missile And Drone Attacks

At least 18 people have been killed in Ukraine after Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and nearby regions, damaging residential buildings, warehouses and a children’s hospital.

The attacks continued through Thursday after a night of heavy strikes, while Ukraine’s air defence system faced growing pressure because of a shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.

At Least 18 People Killed

At least 16 people were killed during ballistic missile attacks earlier in the day, while daytime drone strikes killed at least two more people.

Most of the deaths were reported in Kyiv, while at least one person was killed in the surrounding region.

Several areas of the capital were hit, including Holosiivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Solomianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts.

Residential Building And Children’s Hospital Damaged

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a nine storey residential building in Solomianskyi district collapsed and caught fire after the attack.

A children’s hospital in the same area was also damaged. Windows were shattered and vehicles inside the hospital area were affected.

Authorities also reported that people were trapped inside another residential building.

Parts of Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts lost electricity following the strikes.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said fires broke out in residential buildings and warehouses. Rescue teams were sent to several locations and pulled at least two people from collapsed structures.

Overnight Attack Lasted Nine Hours

Authorities said the overnight Russian attack lasted around nine hours.

Warehouses in Boryspil, outside Kyiv, were also damaged.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched at least 44 missiles during the attack and that 39 of them were shot down.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces targeted military industrial facilities, a transportation and logistics centre and warehouses in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Ukraine Faces Air Defence Shortage

The latest attacks have increased concern over Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.

These missiles are important for defending against faster Russian ballistic missiles and protecting major cities and energy infrastructure.

The shortage could become even more serious as Ukraine prepares for the colder months, when Russia may increase attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure.

Poland And Romania Activate Security Measures

The Russian attacks also triggered security responses in neighbouring NATO countries.

Poland’s military said it mobilised aircraft and activated air defence systems to protect its airspace, especially in areas near the Ukrainian border.

Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said radar systems detected aerial targets close to the border overnight.

Two Spanish fighter jets deployed under NATO missions and a Romanian air force helicopter were sent into the area.

Romanian authorities said a drone entered the country’s airspace near Galati before crashing in an unpopulated area of Tulcea county.

Russia Reports Large Ukrainian Drone Attack

Russia also reported a major Ukrainian drone attack during the same period.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it shot down 726 Ukrainian drones between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning over several Russian regions, as well as over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The figure has not been yet verified.

Ukraine Appoints New Defence Minister

The attacks came one day after Ukraine’s parliament approved Yevhenii Khmara as the country’s new defence minister.

Lawmakers approved his appointment by 312 votes to 2, well above the 226 votes required.

Khmara is a career intelligence official who previously led the Alpha special operations unit of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Speaking before the vote, Khmara said he would work to strengthen Ukraine’s defence, reduce Russia’s military capacity and push towards what he described as a just peace.

Political Debate Grows Over Wartime Elections

Khmara replaced former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was removed from office in July after tensions with senior military leadership.

Fedorov recently called for Ukraine to move towards holding elections, saying the country faces a serious governance crisis.

His comments sparked political debate and small protests in Kyiv.

Ukraine currently does not allow national elections while martial law is in force.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidential term formally ended in May 2024, but elections have been postponed because of the continuing war and martial law.

War Continues With Heavy Air Attacks

The latest Russian strikes show that air attacks remain a major part of the war more than four years after Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine continues to rely heavily on Western supplied air defence systems, while shortages of interceptor missiles remain a key challenge.

At the same time, both Russia and Ukraine continue to launch large scale drone attacks against each other, increasing pressure on military infrastructure, cities and civilian areas.