Russia launched its third missile and drone attack on Kyiv within less than a week, killing at least seven people and injuring several others amid a shortage of U.S.-supplied interceptor missiles. This occurred ahead of a scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Russia launched an air assault on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, again during the early hours of Wednesday, 7 Jul 2021 GMT+7. This marks the third attack on Ukraine’s capital in under a week, employing a combination of cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), while Ukraine continues to face shortages of U.S.-made air defense interceptor missiles.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia deployed a total of 169 drones and 5 cruise missiles targeting multiple locations across the country. Ukraine’s air defense systems intercepted over 80% of the drones but failed to intercept any of the cruise missiles due to a shortage of capable interceptor weapons designed to counter such threats.
Kyiv military officials stated that the latest attack caused at least one death and injured two others. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, revealed that missiles damaged warehouses and non-residential buildings in two districts on opposite sides of the Dnipro River, causing several fires.
Additionally, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was also hit by missile strikes, damaging residential homes and churches. Elsewhere in Ukraine, there were further casualties and injuries: two deaths in the southern Mykolaiv region from guided bomb attacks, and injuries in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions from drone, artillery, and missile strikes.
The attacks occurred amid the NATO summit underway in Ankara, Turkey, where U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussion is expected to focus on Ukraine’s request for additional interceptor missiles from the U.S., as these remain the only effective weapons Ukraine currently has to counter Russian cruise missiles.
President Trump stated before the summit that he believes the Russia-Ukraine war could end soon after conversations with both President Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Putin affirmed continuation of military operations despite increasing challenges, reiterating demands that Ukraine cede the remaining part of the eastern Donetsk region to Russia.
Throughout July, Russian attacks on Kyiv and surrounding areas have caused at least 60 deaths, reflecting Moscow’s intensified air campaign over recent months despite slowed progress by ground forces. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to target Russian military and oil industry infrastructure, disrupting fuel transport within Russia.
. Reuters