A Russian attack on Kyiv overnight into Thursday, July 2, 2026, killed at least 21 people and wounded scores more, as Ukraine’s capital was hit by hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in one of the largest strikes of the war.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the assault as the enemy’s most massive attack on the capital. CBS News, citing Ukrainian officials, reported earlier that at least 17 people had been killed before later reports raised the toll to at least 21.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones overnight. The barrage damaged residential buildings and civilian infrastructure across Kyiv, with emergency crews searching through rubble after dawn.
Kyiv Attack Hits Residential Buildings
Explosions shook Kyiv for hours after Ukrainian officials warned residents to take shelter. Thousands of people went to metro stations and other shelters as missiles and drones struck multiple districts of the city.
Damage was recorded across the capital, including mainly residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, CBS News reported. Kyiv officials said 20 residential buildings were damaged, while Reuters reported that around 130 buildings were damaged in the broader assault.
In the Darnytskyi district, part of a nine-story residential building was destroyed. Klitschko said people were being searched for under the rubble, including a 15-year-old girl and her family.
Russia Missile Attack Damages Ambulance Station
The attack also hit civilian emergency infrastructure. Klitschko said an ambulance station was damaged, nine ambulances were hit and six station employees, including medical staff and drivers, were injured.
Emergency crews worked at several sites across the city. Reuters reported that more than 600 rescuers were sifting through rubble and that some people remained trapped inside damaged residential buildings.
Kyiv declared Friday a day of mourning after the strikes. City officials said damage was recorded across the city of about 3 million people.
Russia Says It Targeted Military And Energy Sites
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its “massive attack” used long-range precision weapons and drones and claimed it hit military and energy facilities, as well as airports in Kyiv and other locations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on what Moscow called a retaliatory strike. Peskov said Russia would continue to intensify pressure on Ukraine to achieve its war aims.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians. Ukraine and Western officials have repeatedly accused Russia of striking civilian areas during its full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.
Zelenskyy Presses For Air Defenses
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited one of the damaged residential sites after returning to Ukraine from Ireland. He said delays in delivering promised air defenses had cost lives and homes.
Zelenskyy asked Washington for a license to produce Patriot missiles and said air defense supplies were an absolute necessity. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Ukraine’s partners to move faster on air defense systems and missiles.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she would propose more sanctions on entities supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex in response to the strikes.
Ukraine War Air Campaign Intensifies
The attack came as Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes on Kyiv in recent weeks. Ukraine has also increased long-range drone attacks on Russian energy facilities, including oil infrastructure.
Reuters reported that Ukraine said it hit an oil refinery overnight in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region. Russian officials said one person was killed in a strike on an industrial facility there.
The July 2 strike left Kyiv facing rescue operations, damaged homes and renewed calls from Ukrainian officials for more Western air defenses as Russia continued its aerial campaign against the capital.
