Deadly Russian Attack On Kyiv Kills 27 As Drones, Missiles Pound City; Zelenskyy Vows To Retaliate
Deadly Russian Attack On Kyiv Kills 27 As Drones, Missiles Pound City; Zelenskyy Vows To Retaliate Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 09:03 IST
Deadly Russian Attack On Kyiv Kills 27 As Drones, Missiles Pound City; Zelenskyy Vows To Retaliate Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 09:03 IST As the fallout from the attack continued, the European Union's top diplomat proposed fresh sanctions against Moscow. Rapid Read Rescuers extinguish a fire in a residential building damaged in a missile strike on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (AFP) Russia and Ukraine vowed fresh assaults in their over-four-year war after Moscow launched one of its heaviest attacks on Kyiv, which killed at least 27 people, ripped through apartment buildings and forced tens of thousands of residents to take shelter. Visiting a residential building that was partially destroyed in the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country would “definitely" respond to the strikes. As the fallout from the attack continued, the European Union’s top diplomat proposed fresh sanctions against Moscow. Zelenskyy also renewed his appeal to the United States, seeking licences to manufacture Patriot air-defence missiles. Zelenskyy Cuts Short Visit The Russian attack came just hours after Zelenskyy cut short his visit to Dublin on Wednesday, citing intelligence reports warning of an imminent strike by Moscow.
Reacting to the assault, Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin “has been preparing this massive strike against Ukraine for some time now". In response to the attack, the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said she would propose a fresh round of sanctions against Moscow. In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign inside Russia, targeting military installations and energy infrastructure. Russian authorities have reported repeated Ukrainian strikes in regions bordering Ukraine, while Moscow has said its air defence systems have intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones over the past few days. ‘Struggling To Sleep’ Russia launched a massive overnight aerial assault, firing 496 drones and 74 missiles, including ballistic missiles that are difficult to intercept, according to Ukraine’s air force. The military said its air defence systems destroyed 48 missiles and 476 drones during the attack. The scale of the barrage forced thousands of Kyiv residents to seek shelter. According to the Kyiv metro, around 52,000 people, including 4,500 children, took refuge in underground stations, the highest number recorded in recent years. Others spent the night in basements and building corridors as explosions echoed across the Ukrainian capital. Outside a residential building that was largely destroyed in the eastern Darnytskyi district, AFP reporters spoke to residents surveying the devastation.
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