RUSSIA LAUNCHES MAJOR BALLISTIC MISSILE ASSAULT ON KYIV AND KHARKIV

Russia carried out an intensive ballistic missile and drone strike on Ukraine, with reported casualties ranging from at least six to twenty people killed across multiple cities. The attack on Kyiv began around 1:30 am and continued for several hours, involving 41 missiles of various types according to Ukraine's air force. Ukrainian air defences reported shooting down 18 of those missiles and 108 drones. Separate strikes hit a postal depot in Kharkiv's suburbs, killing four people and wounding 19 others, said regional head Oleh Syniehubov.

Reports of total deaths across Ukraine from the 24-hour period differ: one account stated at least six killed in Kyiv with four additional fatalities in Kharkiv; another cited eight deaths overall, with casualties also recorded in Zaporizhzhia and Sumy. Residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a dormitory sustained damage across Kyiv's districts, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the bombardment as "one of the most massive ballistic attacks" since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. Zelensky stated that over the preceding week, Russia had deployed approximately 1,450 strike drones, more than 1,640 guided bombs and 99 missiles of various types against Ukraine.

The strikes form part of Moscow's intensified use of ballistic missiles as it responds to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelensky said protection against ballistic missiles remains Ukraine's "top priority" and that interceptors are "needed every day". Last week, Zelensky announced a political agreement with the United States on licences to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, with hoped production beginning by year's end, though full production timelines remain unclear.