At least 26 people were killed in one of the deadliest missile strikes on Kyiv when Russia launched a large-scale attack targeting residential areas in the Ukrainian capital on the eve of a NATO summit. The assault involved a combined use of drones and missiles fired from air, land, and sea platforms.

According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia fired 68 missiles during the attack, including 29 ballistic missiles, which travel at hypersonic speeds and are particularly difficult to intercept. Ukrainian officials reported that none of the ballistic missiles were successfully shot down, highlighting Kyiv’s urgent need for additional interceptor missiles to bolster its US-supplied Patriot air defence systems.

President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the critical importance of securing stronger support for Ukraine’s air defence capabilities from the international community, particularly the United States and European allies. Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, which began on July 7, Zelensky was scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss the ongoing conflict.

“It is critically important that the world, first and foremost the United States and our European partners, come out of the NATO summit in Ankara with strong decisions in support of our air defence, and thus the protection of ordinary people’s lives,” Zelensky said. He noted that while Ukraine’s military had managed to intercept some drones and missiles, the supply of interceptors remained insufficient to counter the ballistic weapons.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, also stressed that the attack underscored an urgent need for enhanced air defence support for Ukraine, a topic she expected to be addressed during NATO discussions.

The strike came just days after another Russian missile attack in Kyiv that killed more than 30 people. Moscow’s growing reliance on ballistic missiles marks a concerning escalation for Ukraine’s defence forces. In the first six days of July alone, Russia reportedly launched 58 ballistic and hypersonic missiles, adding to 89 fired in June and 65 in May.

Despite Russian claims that the missiles targeted military sites, Ukrainian officials involved in defending Kyiv stated that the strikes struck residential buildings and locations where civilians were living and sleeping. A Ukrainian military monitoring channel described the attack as “one of the worst in memory,” noting that none of the ballistic or hypersonic Zircon missiles were intercepted.

The NATO summit in Ankara is expected to focus on support for Ukraine’s defensive needs, including enhanced air defence measures, as the conflict continues to intensify with increased missile attacks on civilian areas.