Nine people were killed and more than 30 injured in Russian ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though the attacks occurred overnight when 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, and 185 attack drones were launched at Ukraine, with Kyiv as the primary target. Zelenskyy stated that local air defenses had only managed to shoot down one of the missiles.

Damage to Kyiv infrastructure

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the city agency Kyivmedspetstrans,responsible for ambulance and emergency medical transportation—was hit twice in the strikes. Four of the organization’s buildings were “partially destroyed,” and five ambulances were “completely burnt out,” according to Klitschko. Fires broke out across the city, and many areas were left without power. A residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district was partially destroyed, with people trapped inside, Klitschko added.

Zelenskyy also noted that the attacks extended beyond Kyiv, with strikes hitting the Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions. Infrastructure facilities, a school, the Lithuanian Embassy, and 18 residential buildings were among the damaged structures in Kyiv.

Ukraine sinks Russian container ship

Separately, Ukraine sank a Russian-owned container ship in the Black Sea using drones. The ship, named Yanina, was sanctioned and belonged to Rosatom, the Russian Atomic Energy Corporation. It had a capacity of more than 100,000 tons and was transporting civilian goods, including frozen food and construction materials. The attack occurred approximately 130 miles from Novorossiysk.

Rosatom’s CEO Alexey Likhachev called the attack “piracy and robbery,” according to the BBC. He added that all 17 crew members were rescued and in “satisfactory” condition. Russia confirmed that all crew members had been saved, though no further details were provided.

Call for Patriot interceptors and U.S. response

Zelenskyy reiterated his calls for more Patriot interceptors to defend against Russian attacks. “It is this shortage of ballistic missile interceptors that only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives,” he said in a post on X. He emphasized that partners must provide these capabilities “here and now” to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The call for more interceptors comes amid uncertainty about U.S. support. U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack on a prior promise to let Ukraine build its own Patriot missiles. In a cabinet meeting, Trump said: “We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology.” He also expressed concern that providing such technology could lead to future risks, stating, “People that you give that technology, they can some day turn on you. You know that is possible.”