'Massive' Russian strikes kill 17 in Kyiv, Zelenskyy says, as no missiles intercepted
LONDON -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that at least 17 people were killed in Kyiv and the surrounding region in a massive overnight Russian missile and drone strike, with Ukraine's air force failing to intercept any missiles amid a shortage of air defense munitions.
Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram that Russia launched 115 drones and 28 missiles -- 24 ballistic missiles and four anti-ship missiles -- into the country overnight, of which 98 drones were intercepted.
None of the missiles were shot down, the air force said citing "preliminary data," reporting missile and drone impacts across 26 locations.
Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram that the "massive" and "devastating" attack killed at least 17 people. At least another 44 people were injured in the attack, Zelenskyy added.
"The main targets of the attack were storage facilities belonging to civilian enterprises, but there were also strikes on infrastructure and a railway station," Zelenskyy said. "The targets included entities unrelated to the war: a brewery, warehouses for building materials and civilian logistics facilities."
"Ballistic missile interceptors -- these are what could have saved the lives of those who died today," Zelenskyy wrote. "It is crucial that our partners understand that delays in their supply or a reluctance to provide anti-ballistic systems leads to precisely these horrific casualties and destruction."
"A significant portion of Russian ballistic missile production is not currently under sanctions. This needs to change. New steps are needed from the G7, from the EU, from everyone who supports the protection of life," Zelenskyy wrote.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram that its "massive strike" targeted what it said were "transport, logistics and distribution centers in the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region."
The ministry said that storage and distribution facilities for drone components and electronic warfare systems were among the targets struck, as were three cargo ships.
The ministry also said that Russian forces shot down at least 475 Ukrainian drones overnight into Wednesday morning.
In a later post to Telegram, Zelenskyy again appealed to foreign partners to boost the number of air defense munitions available to Kyiv.
The U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air missile system has become Ukraine's prime defense against ballistic munitions, but a global shortage of interceptor missiles -- exacerbated by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran -- and President Donald Trump's decision to wind down U.S. aid to Kyiv has eaten into the stocks available for Ukraine.
After visiting the White House for talks in late July, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was seeking the delivery of another 300 Patriot interceptor missiles to bolster its defenses before next winter.
Trump declined to provide any new missiles and even walked back an earlier commitment to providing Ukraine with a license to produce its own Patriot missiles.
"The number of missiles for air defense in the supply has been reduced threefold compared to 2025," Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram on Wednesday.
"Our partners do have these missiles. It is important that the necessary political decisions are made regarding the supply and acceleration of production processes, including localization in Ukraine. This could significantly support not only our country but also global efforts to protect lives," he wrote.
