Russian strikes kill four in Kyiv region as air defenses strain
Russian attacks killed four, including a child, in Kyiv and its region. Ukraine's air defenses intercepted most drones but ballistic missiles got through.
At least four people, including a three-year-old child, were killed in Russian attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region early Saturday, according to local officials. The dead included the child's grandparents, whose home in the Brovary district, northeast of the capital, was destroyed by a drone strike. Three other family members and a neighbor who came to help were hospitalized.
In the city of Kyiv itself, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least one more person died in a strike involving six ballistic missiles aimed at civilian infrastructure. Ukraine's air force reported intercepting 135 of 151 drones launched overnight, but the ballistic missiles overwhelmed the city's defenses.
The attacks underscore the strain on Ukraine's air defense network, which relies heavily on US-made Patriot systems — the only weapon capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. With interceptor supplies running low, Zelenskyy has renewed appeals to allies for more ammunition and for permission to use Starlink satellite communications to target Russian missile launchers inside Russia. He also called for additional sanctions to curb missile production.
Ukraine's defense ministry said its forces shot down roughly 5,300 drones and missiles last month, just under 60 percent of the approximately 9,000 launched by Russia in the same period.
Meanwhile, in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, a drone strike on the Ilsky Oil Refinery caused a fire that wounded five people. Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities have become a near-daily occurrence, leading to fuel shortages and growing public frustration in Russia.
The attacks came hours after Zelenskyy arrived in Serbia for his first official visit, where he is scheduled to discuss economic ties, EU relations, and security issues with Serbian leaders.