Russia's missile and drone attacks on Ukraine kill at least 22 in the Kyiv region

By — Hanna Arhirova, Associated Press Hanna Arhirova, Associated Press By — Samya Kullab, Associated Press Samya Kullab, Associated Press By — Illia Novikov, Associated Press Illia Novikov, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/russias-missile-and-drone-attacks-on-ukraine-kill-at-least-22-in-the-kyiv-region Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Russia's missile and drone attacks on Ukraine kill at least 22 in the Kyiv region World Jul 6, 2026 1:05 PM EDT KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed waves of missiles and drones at Ukraine early Monday, killing at least 22 people in attacks that exposed widening gaps in the country's air defenses more than four years into Moscow's full-scale invasion, authorities said. All of the ballistic missiles launched by Russia struck their targets, underscoring Kyiv's need for more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles — a point Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will likely reiterate at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week. READ MORE: Lured by Russia, African soldiers end up on deadly front lines of Ukraine war Fifteen people were killed in the capital of Kyiv, which was Russia's main target, and 56 were injured, according to administrative head Tymur Tkachenko. Another seven people were killed in the wider Kyiv region and 29 were injured, according to Ukraine's emergency service. Emergency workers searched for survivors in the rubble of residential high-rises in two locations that suffered direct hits. Moscow has stepped up attacks on Kyiv in retaliation for Ukraine's recent long-range strikes, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Those Ukrainian attacks have caused severe fuel shortages and put pressure on President Vladimir Putin. On Thursday, a Russian strike killed 31 people in Kyiv, the deadliest attack in the capital this year. Ukraine's advances in drone technology have given it an edge in recent months, analysts and Western officials say, striking supply routes behind the front line, stripping the Russian army of momentum on the battlefield and slowing its advance. But Russia now is exploiting vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defenses, which remain heavily reliant on the Patriot missile systems to intercept ballistic missiles it can rarely shoot down. The war in the Middle East has strained the global supply of Patriot interceptors — a shortage now felt keenly in Ukraine. Zelenskyy notes gaps in stopping ballistic missiles Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 351 drones and 68 missiles overnight, targeting mainly Kyiv, and all 29 ballistic missiles struck their targets. "To intercept ballistics, we need the means for interception," air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on national television. "Russians are certainly using the fact that there is a serious deficit of interceptor missiles now, in Ukraine and the world." Ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had perfor