Russian Strikes Kill 28 in Kyiv Area Amid Critical Air Defense Shortage

Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 28 people in and around Kyiv on Monday, exposing a critical shortage in Ukraine’s air defenses. Emergency services confirmed 18 deaths in the capital and 10 in the wider region after a "massive" bombardment ripped through residential buildings.

In Kyiv, rescuers spent the day digging through the rubble of a high-rise apartment complex. Among the victims was an entire family—two parents and their child. This attack comes just days after a strike last Thursday killed 31 people.

The Ukrainian military reported it was unable to intercept any of the 23 ballistic missiles launched by Russia. Officials stated that stocks of US-made Patriot interceptors, the only weapons capable of stopping such high-velocity projectiles, are running out.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the shortage "absurd," urging allies to scale up production or grant Ukraine licenses to manufacture the systems locally. "As long as Patriot missiles sit in our allies' stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings," Zelenskiy said.

The strikes occurred on the eve of a NATO summit in Turkey. President Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump during the summit to discuss peace efforts and military support.

While Russia's defense ministry claimed the strikes targeted military and energy facilities, local officials reported significant damage to nearly 30 civilian buildings in Kyiv alone