Russia unleashes nearly 600 missiles and drones on Kyiv in deadliest strike since May

Russia launched 1 of its heaviest overnight attacks connected Kyiv, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles astatine the Ukrainian superior successful a onslaught that tore done residential buildings, killed astatine slightest 18 radical and wounded much than 90, according to Reuters.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, speaking from Ukraine exclusively with Fox News Digital, said the battle marked "the astir horrific nighttime for Kyiv since the opening of Russia’s full-scale invasion."

"Early this morning, I spoke with my mother-in-law, who is successful Kyiv. She told maine she had ne'er been truthful terrified. It felt arsenic if the biblical Apocalypse were unfolding earlier her precise eyes. Everyone was praying."

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Firefighters enactment astatine the tract of an flat gathering damaged during a Russian rocket and drone strike, amid Russia's onslaught connected Ukraine, successful Kyiv, Ukraine July 2, 2026. (Reuters)

The explosions shook cardinal Kyiv for hours arsenic thousands of residents rushed into weaponry shelters and underground metro stations. The onslaught caused the widest demolition successful Kyiv truthful acold successful 2026 and was the deadliest onslaught connected the superior since astatine slightest May, erstwhile 24 radical were killed successful an onslaught that brought down an flat block. 

Ukraine’s aerial unit said Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones overnight, according to Reuters. 

Yuri Ihnat, the Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson, said the fig of ballistic missiles was unusually precocious and that the interception complaint for them was low, arsenic Ukraine continues to look shortages of Patriot missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who chopped abbreviated a sojourn to Ireland and returned to Ukraine, said harm had been reported astatine much than 20 sites crossed the capital.

"The main onslaught was directed astatine Kyiv," Zelenskyy said. "Air defence supplies for Ukraine are an implicit and captious priority."

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An detonation lights up the entity implicit the metropolis during a Russian rocket and drone strike, amid Russia's onslaught connected Ukraine, successful Kyiv, Ukraine July 2, 2026. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a time of mourning and said harm had been recorded crossed the metropolis of astir 3 cardinal people.

Melnyk told Fox News Digital the onslaught should unit the planetary assemblage to face Russia’s presumption wrong the U.N. Security Council.

"And yet, this barbaric Russia continues to beryllium treated astatine the U.N. arsenic a mean subordinate state," helium said. "It is clip to extremity this parallel reality. Russia’s presumption arsenic a imperishable subordinate of the Security Council should yet beryllium called into question. Russia should beryllium treated for what it has become: a pariah state."

Emergency crews searched done the rubble of a nine-story gathering connected the near slope of the Dnipro River arsenic fires continued to pain aft sunrise. City officials said immoderate radical remained trapped wrong damaged residential buildings.

East2West footage showed the overnight barrage from wrong Kyiv, including a babe sleeping arsenic explosions flashed extracurricular an unfastened model and fume from an earlier onslaught roseate nearby. Other footage showed residents sheltering adjacent a metro presumption arsenic strikes deed the capital, arsenic good arsenic dense harm crossed Kyiv, including residential buildings torn isolated and heavy fume hanging implicit parts of the city.

More than 20 sites were damaged, including residential buildings, diplomatic accommodation and the National Institute of Biochemistry, wherever a state-of-the-art laboratory and offices were gutted.

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Rescuers behaviour hunt and rescue operations astatine a multi-storey residential gathering damaged successful a monolithic Russian rocket and drone onslaught successful the Darnytskyi territory of Kyiv, Ukraine, connected July 2, 2026.  (Kyrylo Chubotin/Ukrinform)

Katarina Mathernova, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, said Russia "unleashed hellhole connected Kyiv" overnight and struck accommodation utilized by diplomatic personnel. Diplomats were not injured, but their belongings were damaged successful a occurrence that engulfed the building, she said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said successful a Telegram station that its "massive attack" utilized long-range, high-precision weapons and drones to onslaught subject and vigor facilities, arsenic good arsenic airports successful Kyiv and different locations. Moscow said the onslaught was retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes connected Russia. 

Ukraine said it deed an lipid refinery overnight successful Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, wherever the determination politician reported 1 idiosyncratic killed successful a onslaught connected an concern facility.

The Kremlin said Russian subject commanders briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin connected the attacks and said Moscow would proceed expanding unit connected Ukraine to execute its warfare aims.

Poland, a NATO and European Union subordinate that borders Ukraine, concisely scrambled combatant jets arsenic a preventive measure. Finland besides concisely issued a impermanent aviation regularisation portion successful the eastbound Gulf of Finland, its defence forces said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu told Fox News Digital that Russian drones were detected successful Ukraine astir 30 kilometers from Romania’s borderline Wednesday, prompting NATO air-policing craft to respond.

"Two Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon combatant craft deployed nether the Enhanced Air Policing ngo and operating from the 86th Air Base successful Fetești successful Romania, were scrambled to show the Romanian airspace concern adjacent the borderline with Ukraine," Țoiu said. "A Romanian Air Force IAR 330 Puma chopper was besides deployed. Such incidents person perpetually accompanied Russia’s amerciable warfare of aggression against Ukraine."

EU overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas said Thursday that she would suggest caller sanctions connected entities supporting Russia’s military-industrial analyzable successful effect to the strikes.

"The much Moscow attacks civilians, the much sanctions indispensable beryllium imposed," Kallas said successful a station connected X.

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A pistillate reacts adjacent an flat gathering damaged during a Russian rocket and drone strike, amid Russia's onslaught connected Ukraine, successful Kyiv, Ukraine July 2, 2026. (Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters)

Russia has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians successful strikes connected Kyiv and different Ukrainian cities since launching its full-scale penetration successful February 2022. 

Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians but says attacks connected what it calls civilian infrastructure are morganatic due to the fact that they impact Ukraine’s quality to wage war.

Reuters contributed to this report.