Kyiv Under Fire as Ukraine Exhausts Patriot Missile Stocks

The early morning assault saw over a dozen explosions tear through seven districts, damaging 18 residential buildings, a school, and the Lithuanian Embassy. Prosecutors confirmed seven fatalities in the Darnytskyi district and two in Solomyanskyi, with dozens more injured, including four children suffering from shrapnel wounds. Residents reported ceilings collapsing as the waves of strikes hit during the night.

Zelenskiy highlighted the tactical disparity, noting that of the 27 ballistic missiles launched by Russia, only one was intercepted. These weapons, traveling at multiple times the speed of sound, remain largely unchecked without adequate air defense replenishment. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha underscored the urgency, stating that the outcome of the war hinges on securing the skies over Ukraine. This marks the second major attack on the capital this week, following Thursday strikes that also claimed nine lives in the wider region.