Russia launches one of its heaviest attacks on Kyiv with hundreds of drones and missiles, killing at least 18

Russia launched a large-scale overnight strike on Kyiv involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 18 people and wounding more than 90, according to Ukrainian officials cited in reports Monday. The assault tore through residential buildings, with explosions continuing for hours as residents sought shelter in bomb shelters and underground metro stations, the accounts said.

Ukraine’s air force said the attack included 74 missiles and 496 drones, in one of Russia’s biggest barrages on the capital since at least May, when an attack killed 24 people and brought down an apartment block. The July 2 strike was described as the deadliest on Kyiv since that May event, with officials reporting extensive damage and emergency response efforts ongoing into the morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said air defense was an “absolute priority” in the wake of the attack, while local officials reported firefighting operations at damaged apartment sites. The reported casualty totals and extent of destruction were still subject to revision as authorities assessed the sites, a common pattern after large-scale strikes.

In parallel, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Andriy Melnyk, criticized Russia’s diplomatic standing after the attack. Speaking on Fox News Digital, Melnyk described Russia as a “pariah state” and said Russia’s membership in the U.N. Security Council should be called into question, linking the remarks directly to what he described as the scale and severity of the latest strike.

The reports also described widespread fear among civilians during the bombardment. One account relayed by Melnyk said he spoke early in the morning with a family member in Kyiv who described unprecedented terror, adding that people were praying as the explosions shook central parts of the city.

The Kremlin was not represented in the available reporting, and Russia’s rationale for the attack was not included in the cited material. In such cases, public information about intended targets and claimed military objectives typically emerges later through official statements and investigative reporting, while casualty reporting can change as authorities complete site inspections.

Following the attack, Ukraine is likely to press for continued air-defense resourcing and to use the scale of the strike in diplomatic efforts at the United Nations, while Kyiv officials work to restore damaged infrastructure and determine whether additional protective measures are needed for remaining residential districts.