Russian air strikes kill 12 in Kyiv region as attacks enter sixth day

Russian air attacks killed 12 people and wounded several others in Kyiv and its surrounding region early Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of strikes on the Ukrainian capital. The overnight barrage included jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles, which targeted residential areas and railway infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials.

In Kyiv, eight people were killed and fires broke out at multiple locations. Six of the deaths occurred when a railway depot and other rail facilities were hit, the head of Ukraine's state railway group said. In Boryspil, outside the capital, four people were killed and 13 injured when a residential building and other sites were struck.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on allies to increase economic pressure on Russia and renew discussions on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort. He urged partners to provide more air defence systems, noting that Ukraine is critically low on US-made Patriot interceptors capable of stopping ballistic missiles.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a "significant number" of jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles were used in the attack. Ukraine's air force reported shooting down five ballistic missiles. Zelenskiy also confirmed that an Indian citizen was among those killed overnight.

The strikes also targeted a border crossing with NATO-member Romania in the Odesa region, where repeated attacks on ports and ships have halted Ukraine's agricultural exports. Thousands of families in the region were left without electricity, Zelenskiy said.

Russia's defence ministry said it hit military and energy facilities in Kyiv and Odesa and surrounding regions. Ukraine has meanwhile increased its own attacks on Russian territory, targeting oil facilities and logistics infrastructure. Local governors reported a fire in the port area of Ust-Luga, a major export outlet in northwest Russia, and damage to civilian facilities in the Samara region, home to several major oil refineries. A civilian was also killed in Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.

On the diplomatic front, Zelenskiy said he held a "detailed and constructive" call with US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and that dates for a visit to Ukraine were being finalised. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war needed to end for humanity's sake, to which Putin said Moscow was "moving forward along this path."