Ukraine warns of interceptor missile shortage after Kyiv attack kills 12

A wave of Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv overnight, killing 12 civilians and leaving dozens more injured. The strike highlighted a “serious shortage” of interceptor missiles, a gap the Ukrainian leadership says must be filled at the NATO summit opening in Ankara this week.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 23 ballistic missiles were launched at the capital, none of which were intercepted. In total, the barrage comprised 68 missiles and 351 strike drones, according to the service’s statement released on CBS News.

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“All the ballistic missiles launched by Russia struck their targets, underscoring Kyiv’s need for more Patriot interceptor missiles,” said the Ukrainian president in a post on X, echoing the sentiment of the air‑force spokesman who warned that “Russians are certainly using the fact that there is a serious deficit of interceptor missiles now, in Ukraine and the world.”

"To intercept ballistics, we need the means for interception. Russians are certainly using the fact that there is a serious deficit of interceptor missiles now, in Ukraine and the world."

Yurii Ihnat, air‑force spokesman, via CBS News

Rescue crews worked through the early morning hours to reach people trapped in three partially collapsed apartment blocks. City officials counted 49 injuries in Kyiv proper and 16 in the surrounding region, while the Ukrainian president added that an additional 60 people were wounded across the city.

Damage was reported in more than 10 locations, from the historic Podilskyi district to the Darnytsia area where multistory buildings were left riddled with smoke and debris. Residents described the night as “the sound of explosions, the smell of burning, and a stairwell thick with smoke.” Their testimonies were captured by NBC News.

The mayor of Kyiv confirmed that fires broke out in several apartment complexes and that helicopters were deployed to ferry water from the Dnipro River to douse the flames. In a separate statement, the city’s top military administrator said that “these are residential buildings, places where people slept and lived their ordinary lives,” emphasizing the civilian toll of the attack.

Key figures from the attack

• 23 ballistic missiles – none intercepted
• 68 missiles (including cruise and ballistic) launched
• 351 drones deployed
• 37 missiles and 326 drones shot down or suppressed (pre‑launch data)
• 12 civilians killed in Kyiv; six more dead in the wider region
• Three large apartment blocks partially collapsed

Beyond the immediate destruction, the strike has intensified diplomatic pressure on NATO allies. The Ukrainian president appealed for “strong decisions” at the summit, urging the United States and European partners to deliver additional Patriot systems. He warned that as long as “Patriot missiles remain in our allies’ stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep ‘vanquishing’ residential buildings.”

"As long as Patriot missiles remain in our allies' stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep ‘vanquishing’ residential buildings. The United States and Europe have enough strength to stop this terror."

Ukrainian president, via NBC News

The European Commission President also highlighted Ukraine’s “urgent” need for more air defence, pledging to discuss the issue in Ankara. Meanwhile, Russian officials described the attack as targeting weapons factories, drone production sites, and facilities repairing air‑defence systems, though those claims could not be independently verified.

The latest raid follows a deadly strike on Thursday that killed 31 people in Kyiv, marking the deadliest single attack on the capital this year. That earlier assault prompted tens of thousands of residents to seek shelter in metro stations, a pattern repeated after the Monday barrage.