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Russian forces have unleashed a major attack on Ukraine in the early hours today, with multiple ballistic missiles targeting the capital Kyiv.
At least 12 people were killed and 33 have been injured in the strikes, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said, as witnesses reported more than a dozen explosions.
Poland said it was activating a range of defensive measures in response to the strikes unfolding across the border, describing them as “preventive military aviation operations”.
A children’s hospital in Kyiv was struck in the attack, Klitschko said, while people were trapped in one destroyed residential building and fires broke out in multiple locations.
The attack comes hours after president Vladimir Putin admitted that Ukrainian attacks were causing Russia harm, in statements made on Wednesday.
“Of course, such attacks have not caused, and could not cause, critical consequences. However, they do inflict damage; this is obvious, and we fully understand and acknowledge it,” he told a conference of ministers and business leaders on the economy.
Ukraine has upped its long-range attacks on critical energy infrastructure over the last few months.
Latest attack on Kyiv is ‘one of the most cynical’ yet says Zelensky
The Ukrainian president has issued a statement describing the devastation of Russia’s overnight strikes on Kyiv.
In a post on X, Zelensky said: “This Russian strike was one of the most cynical, calculated, and large-scale.”
The leader also stressed the need for further international assistance, adding “It is important that Ukraine’s partners do not remain silent about this and other similar strikes and truly help protect our people.
“You cannot simply watch silently and indifferently, doing nothing as the Russians destroy lives with ballistic missiles.”
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 14:45
Why are Patriot defence systems in such short supply?
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked allies for additional supplies, saying Kyiv needs around 300 interceptors by winter to strengthen its defences.
Patriot systems are advanced US-made air-defence systems designed to detect and intercept incoming aircraft, drones and missiles.
A Patriot missile system in Taiwan (Reuters)
Patriot systems are in unusually high demand as wars across the Middle East have consumed large numbers of interceptors, while the US and its allies are also trying to replenish their own depleted stocks, creating fierce competition for limited supplies.
The problem is particularly acute for advanced PAC-3 interceptors, which are expensive and technically complex to manufacture.
For Ukraine, the shortage is being felt, where recent Russian attacks have exposed gaps in its ability to intercept ballistic missiles.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 14:15
In pictures: Kyiv grapples with aftermath of Russian strikes
Residents walk through debris in a courtyard following a Russian missile strike on Thursday (Getty)
Locals gather outside a damaged apartment building in Kyiv (Getty)
A Ukrainian man surveys the damage after Russian strikes hit residential areas overnight (AFP/Getty)
Emergency services console the relative of a victim hit by Russian strikes (AFP/Getty)
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 13:45
Death toll in Ukraine rises to 16, says Kyiv
Emergency services in Ukraine have now said that 15 people have been killed in the capital, with another fatality in the wider Kyiv region after Russian missiles pounded the city on Thursday morning.
Kyiv was the primary target, but hits were recorded at 28 locations across the country, according to the air force.
About 40 more people have been wounded.
The attack has come after Ukraine’s attempt to shift the war onto Russian soil through long-range drone strikes on oil facilities and other infrastructure.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 13:15
Ukrainian foreign minister condemns Russian breach of EU airspace
Foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha has publicly condemned Russia’s breach of Moldova and Romania’s airspace in its overnight strikes on Ukraine.
In a post on X, the minister urged for a collective response from NATO members, arguing that the “security and stability of the entire region are at stake.”
At least 12 people are confirmed to have been killed in Ukraine after the Russian attacks.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 12:45
Ukraine hits Russia’s Taneco oil refinery, military confirms
Ukraine’s military has confirmed it hit Russia’s Taneco oil refinery in the Tatarstan region, as well as the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in the Krasnodar region.
The strikes, carried out on Wednesday and overnight, caused fires at both sites, the Ukraine’s general staff said on Telegram.
The strike is set to put further pressure on the Russian economy, as reports of fuel shortages continue to emerge.
Taneco is estimated to process up to 16 million tons of crude oil per year.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 12:15
Kremlin calls into question ousted Ukrainian minister’s demand for wartime elections
The Kremlin has commented on the ousted Ukrainian defence minister’s recent call for wartime elections.
The former Ukrainian defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, called for wartime elections in a bombshell address last week in the biggest internal challenge to President Volodymyr Zelensky since the start of the full-scale conflict.
Calling for wartime elections in Ukraine, Putin has said that the Kyiv leadership lost legitimacy after it refused to hold elections when the president’s elected term expired.
Kyiv has maintained that it cannot hold elections while under martial law amid Russian attacks.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 11:45
Kyiv calls for Ukrainians living abroad to take action against Russian ‘barbarism’
Foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha has called for Ukrainians living abroad to ‘take action.’
In a post on X, Sybiha said: “Each Russian ballistic missile is an act of barbarism. And each interceptor delivered to Ukraine is an act of humanity and saved human lives.”
Emphasising the need for stronger public support, the minister added: “I urge Ukrainians abroad to take action.
“We are calling on the Ukrainian World Congress, as well as all Ukrainian organisations and communities in key capitals and around the world, to raise their voices now.”
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 11:15
Europe’s largest nuclear plant loses last external power line, confirms nuclear watchdog
Ukraine’s Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station has lost its only remaining external power line, the United Nations’ nuclear agency has said.
This has forced emergency diesel generators to start supplying vital safety systems.
In a post on X, The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that initial assessment indicated the damage was located on the northern bank of the Dnipro River, and technicians were unable to determine the outage’s cause due to military activity.
Russian forces seized the station, which is Europe’s largest nuclear facility, in the first weeks of their February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 10:45
Ukraine stresses importance of more Patriot air defence systems
Kyiv has emphasised the need for more Patriot missile systems to fend off Russian attacks.
Widely considered the most effective defence against both ballistic and cruise missiles, Ukraine has underlined the value of Patriot systems in its war effort.
In a post on X, the ministry of defence said: “And as long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistic defence, Russia will not consider peace seriously.
“But Patriot interceptors cannot yet be replaced, and we need them every day. Every additional missile saves the lives of our people.”
The statement follows a devastating barrage of Russian missile attacks on Kyiv overnight.
Suha Kidwai20 August 2026 10:15