Russia Strikes Kyiv as Ukraine Faces Patriot Missile Shortage Before NATO Summit

Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv and surrounding areas early Monday, killing at least 28 people and highlighting Ukraine’s growing shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors.

Emergency crews continued searching through the rubble of a heavily damaged apartment building in Kyiv after the bombardment tore through residential areas. The attack came just one day before the NATO summit in Turkey, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss renewed efforts toward ending the war.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia fired 23 ballistic missiles during the assault, none of which were intercepted. Officials said the country’s dwindling supply of Patriot missiles—the only system capable of reliably stopping ballistic missiles—is leaving cities increasingly exposed to Russian strikes. Ukraine also reported that air defenses destroyed 37 cruise missiles and more than 90% of the 351 drones launched in the attack.

Zelenskiy urged NATO allies to make decisive commitments at the summit, calling it unacceptable that global production of air defense systems has not expanded to meet demand. He also proposed that Ukraine manufacture Patriot systems domestically if granted U.S. production licenses, arguing the move would strengthen both Ukraine’s defenses and those of allied nations.

Rescue operations continued throughout the day as authorities recovered additional victims from collapsed buildings. Officials said at least 18 people were killed in Kyiv, while another 10 died in the surrounding Kyiv region. Separate Russian drone attacks also claimed lives in the Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions, while nearly 30 buildings in the capital suffered major damage.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed carrying out what it described as a large-scale strike using long-range precision weapons and drones, claiming military and energy facilities were targeted.

The latest assault follows another deadly attack on Kyiv last week that killed 31 people, underscoring Russia’s intensified air campaign despite slow progress along the front lines. Meanwhile, Ukraine said it responded by striking three Russian oil refineries, including the country’s largest refinery in Omsk, and targeting two vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov.