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Russia pounded Kyiv with ballistic missiles, killing at least nine people and injuring 28 others in the second such intense barrage in a week.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said a residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district was partially destroyed, trapping people inside. The first and second floors of the building partially collapsed.
More than a dozen explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital, sparking fires across the city and causing power outages in some areas.
The assault came just a week after a similar attack killed nine people, including six members of one family, among them children.
The latest strike came as US president Donald Trump said he was “not sure” he would allow Ukraine to build Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles under licence, casting doubt on Kyiv’s hopes of reducing its reliance on Washington for critical air defences.
“It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we license to,” the president told the Financial Times on Thursday, weeks after offering to share the production licence for the coveted air defence system with the war-hit nation.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked the US for Patriot missile systems to help intercept Russian missiles, drones and aerial bombs.
‘Ukrainian drones’ sink Rosatom vessel in Black Sea
Two Ukrainian drones hit and sank a civilian vessel owned by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom sailing in the Black Sea overnight, the company’s head, Alexei Likhachev, said in a statement on Saturday.
All 17 crew members survived the attack on the ship, which was transporting goods such as frozen food and construction materials, Likhachev added.
“Such an attack can only be described as piracy and maritime robbery,” he said.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on ships that they say are aiding the other side’s war effort.
Adam Withnall1 August 2026 11:04
Ukraine downs just one of 27 ballistic missiles fired overnight, Zelensky says
Ukraine only succeeded in downing one of 27 Russian ballistic missiles fired during this morning’s aerial assault, Volodymyr Zelensky says.
Zelensky said Russia launched a total of 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles and 185 attack drones. The capital Kyiv was the primary target of the attack, he said.
The Ukrainian president has repeatedly called on allies including the US to help support his country’s air defences, with supplies of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles critically low.
Adam Withnall1 August 2026 10:00
Why Ukraine is targeting Russia’s ‘Amazon’ Wildberries with major strikes
Ukrainian drones struck two more warehouses belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries overnight on Thursday, sparking fires at both sites, the company and a regional official said.
Ukraine has attacked about a dozen Wildberries sites since July 18 in a bid to disrupt the operations of the company, a linchpin of the consumer economy that is often described as Russia’s answer to Amazon. Kyiv accused the firm of helping to bolster Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 09:30
Ukraine pleads for more air defences after ‘hell of a night in Kyiv’
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said it was “a hell of a night in Kyiv” after Russia launched a major attack involving missile and drone strikes.
“Failing to achieve its goals on the battlefield, Russia is intensifying its air attacks and terror against civilians. Ukraine urgently needs additional air and missile defence systems and interceptors,” he said.
“It is the battle for the skies that will define the trajectory of this war,” Sybiha said. “The stronger the air shield over Ukraine, the closer peace becomes.”
A rescuer works at the site of a fire in a warehouse at a location given as Bucha District, Kyiv Region, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a video released on August (Reuters)
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 09:00
Kyiv resident recounts early morning strikes
Nadiia Komarova, a 68-year-old concierge at an apartment building in Kyiv, said she was trying to sleep when she heard sirens followed by loud boom sounds.
“I looked at my phone, it was 1.30am (22.30 GMT) and sirens (blared), I was lying dressed in my bed, I got up immediately. And at once explosions started – boom, boom,” she said.
“Our ceilings have started to crumble. My window here is smashed, and everything has fallen inside,” she added.
Footage showed police and rescuers working on the site. Two rescuers put a body in a black sack in a car. Firefighters were extinguishing fires and charred cars stood near an apartment building.
A man carries his dog at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine (Reuters)
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 08:40
Zelensky asks Elon Musk to allow Starlink-assisted strikes on Russia
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday urged Donald Trump and other US officials to help secure permission from Elon Musk to use Starlink satellite internet services to guide strikes inside Russia.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Zelensky made the request directly to Trump during their Oval Office meeting this week.
He also raised the issue with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, seeking Starlink’s support.
Trump did not commit to the request.
While Musk allows Starlink to operate across Ukraine, including Russian-occupied territories, access remains restricted inside Russia.
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 08:20
Zelensky says Patriot interceptors remain top priority in call with Vance
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a “good” phone call with US vice president JD Vance, with air defence remaining a top priority as Russia’s attacks continue.
Zelensky said the two discussed the urgent need for Patriot interceptors to defend against ballistic missiles, followed up on his recent meeting with president Donald Trump in Washington.
“As Russia’s air attacks on our country continue unabated, air defence – specifically Patriot interceptors against ballistic missiles – remains a top priority,” he said.
“The Vice President and I also spoke about the consequences of Russia’s war for global markets.”
He said both sides agreed to keep their teams in close contact and thanked the US for its continued support.
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 08:00
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 07:26
Death toll rises to nine in Kyiv strikes
Russia pounded Ukraine’s capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles on Saturday, killing at least nine people and wounding 28 others, including four children, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Klitschko said a residential building in Shevchenkivskyi district was partially destroyed, trapping people inside.
The first and second floors of the damaged building had partially collapsed, he said.Some warehouses were also on fire, he said.
Russia has stepped up attacks on the capital in recent months, while Ukraine is chronically short of air defences capable of downing ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound.
This is the second major attack on Kyiv this week.
The attack on Thursday killed nine people, including six members of one family in a village near Kryvyi Rih. In Kyiv, fires broke out across the city and power outages were reported in some areas.
Adam Withnall1 August 2026 06:48
Russia ‘using Ceuta crisis to sow destabilisation’ across Europe
Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out an “intensive propaganda campaign” using pictures from Ceuta to “sow destabilisation”.
Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha claimed that Ukrainian analysts have identified more than 1,500 publications on a pro-Russian network, led by Pravda and RT.
“For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive topics to stoke fear and destabilise European countries,” he wrote on X.
Shweta Sharma1 August 2026 06:46