Russia’s Deadly Missile Attack on Kyiv Exploits Ukraine’s Depleted Air Defenses

At least 17 people were killed, officials said, as the country runs desperately low on interceptor missiles that could fend off Russian bombardments. Russia launched a blistering ballistic missile attack on Kyiv and its suburbs before dawn on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and wounding dozens more, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow takes advantage of Kyiv’s depleted air defenses. The attack set off large blazes that filled the skies with smoke as rescue workers raced to find survivors in the rubble. The air force added that, although it had shot down 98 drones, 17 strikes were recorded. The missiles struck in just a matter of minutes, leaving little time for civilians to seek shelter.

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Scoop News DeskRussia · Published Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 7:58 AM UTCUpdated Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 8:24 AM UTC

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It was the third major attack on the capital in a week as Ukraine runs desperately low on interceptor missiles for its Patriot batteries, the only reliable defense against Russia’s most sophisticated missiles. “Ballistic missile interceptors could have saved the lives of those killed today,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in a statement, “It is very important that our partners understand that delays in supplying them, or an unwillingness to provide antiballistic systems, lead directly to such horrific casualties and destruction.” The Ukrainian Air Force said that they had not intercepted any of the 24 ballistic missiles and four hypersonic missiles that Russia used in the attack.