At Least 13 Killed as Russia Unleashes Massive Missile and Drone Strike on Kyiv

At least 13 people were killed and dozens more injured after Russia launched one of its largest combined aerial assaults on Kyiv overnight between July 1 and July 2, striking the Ukrainian capital with waves of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Search-and-rescue operations continued throughout the day as emergency crews worked through the rubble of damaged residential buildings, with officials warning that the death toll could still rise.

According to Ukraine's State Emergency Service and city authorities, more than 30 people were injured, while Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko later reported that the number of wounded had reached 56, including two children. Rescue teams were deployed to numerous locations across the capital, where widespread destruction was recorded. "The enemy is once again targeting residential areas and killing civilians. We have very serious destruction and a significant number of victims, including children," Tkachenko said.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said one of the hardest-hit locations was a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, where part of the structure collapsed following the strike. "The State Emergency Service is currently working to rescue people trapped under the rubble. Rescue workers have saved 17 people at this site, seven of whom were pulled alive from under the rubble. Sadly, one person has been killed," he said, adding that several residents were still missing.

Officials said more than 20 residential buildings across Kyiv sustained damage, while rescue operations continued at approximately 15 locations. Overall, authorities reported destruction at more than 30 sites throughout every district of the city, most of them residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure.

The assault began late on July 1 with waves of Russian drones approaching Kyiv from multiple directions. Air defense systems engaged incoming targets as residents sought shelter in the capital's subway stations, many remaining underground throughout the night. Several hours later, the attack intensified as Russia launched dozens of cruise and ballistic missiles, including hypersonic Zircon missiles, at the city. Ukrainian monitoring channels also reported the takeoff of up to ten Russian strategic bombers during the operation.

Journalists in Kyiv described hearing exceptionally powerful explosions even from deep underground shelters after air raid alerts warned that missiles were heading toward the capital and other Ukrainian cities.

The strikes triggered fires and severe structural damage across multiple districts. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a hotel and the roof of a seven-story residential building caught fire, while several other apartment buildings were engulfed in flames. Residential buildings were also partially destroyed in Darnytskyi, while fires broke out in a 16-story apartment building in Holosiivskyi.

Additional damage was reported in the Pecherskyi district, where a nine-story residential building was hit and a fire spread across roughly 200 square meters between its lower floors. Elsewhere, a warehouse burned in Obolonskyi, houses were damaged in Sviatoshynskyi, another apartment building suffered damage in Desnianskyi, and fires erupted near residential and administrative buildings in Solomianskyi. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also reported the collapse of another nine-story residential building, with rescuers continuing efforts to reach people believed trapped beneath the debris.

The overnight bombardment came only hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian intelligence had detected preparations for another major Russian missile and drone assault. Speaking during a joint appearance with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, Zelensky said, "Once or twice a week, there are large-scale air strikes. Today, there is worrying news about preparations for yet another such mass Russian air strike. We have relevant intelligence data."

His warning followed another deadly day of Russian attacks across Ukraine, including a glide bomb strike on Kharkiv that killed a 15-year-old boy and wounded dozens more civilians.

As concerns over another large-scale attack mounted, fuel retailer WOG temporarily suspended nighttime operations at gas stations in Kyiv and several other regions, including Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and parts of Poltava, citing security risks.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has increasingly relied on massive aerial bombardments targeting civilian infrastructure as the war continues. Zelensky has argued that Moscow is attempting to compensate for setbacks on the battlefield through intensified missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities.

Officials also noted that Russia has adjusted its tactics by increasing the use of ballistic missiles, seeking to exploit shortages of Patriot air defense systems while striking a wider range of civilian targets. In recent months, attacks have damaged not only residential neighborhoods but also cultural and historical landmarks, including Kyiv's National Art Museum, the Kyiv Opera Theater, the Ukrainian House, the Chornobyl Museum, and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Rescue operations continued throughout the day as authorities assessed the full extent of the latest devastation.

Sources:

• The Kyiv Independent
• Ukrainska Pravda
• RBC-Ukraine