Over a span of about 40 minutes, Russia launched nearly 40 ballistic missiles at Kyiv, marking its largest ballistic missile assault on the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale invasion began, according to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.
Local officials said at least 15 people were injured and one person was killed in the overnight attack early on Sunday. Ukraine's national police said the strikes affected six districts of the capital.
The latest bombardment highlights Ukraine's growing challenges in the fifth year of the war as it faces near-daily Russian attacks while running short of Patriot air defence missiles, considered its most effective defence against ballistic missile strikes.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dismissal of his defence minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle has also increased domestic tensions. This has led to protests in the streets and dismay among many Ukrainian soldiers.
The worst blunder of his administration, according to some detractors, was replacing Mykhailo Fedorov at a time when Ukraine appeared to be winning ground in the conflict.
According to the State Emergency Service, Russia's strikes on Sunday caused fires throughout Kyiv that damaged homes, businesses, industrial facilities, a dorm, and automobiles.
In the Shevchenkivskyi area, rescue personnel saved occupants from a burning three-story building, while in the Sviatoshynskyi district, they rescued four individuals from a burning private residence. Additionally, a fire in a nonresidential building was put out. Later, one individual was discovered deceased.
The ballistic missile bombardment was described as "a brutal terrorist attack on the Ukrainian capital" by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who urged a strong response.
In a post on X, he stated, "We need devastating pressure on Moscow to end this terror."
The coward in Moscow, who is afraid to meet with President Zelenskyy to end the war, continues to wage a war against civilians.
— Andrii Sybiha ???????? (@andrii_sybiha) July 19, 2026
Russia unleashed the largest number of ballistic missiles since the start of the war — around four dozen — in a brutal terrorist attack on the… pic.twitter.com/pqmwwlq7cX
According to Oleksandr Ganzha, a regional official, Russian drone attacks also killed one person in Dnipropetrovsk, a key area that borders the front line.
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Ukraine's national railway operator said a Russian drone struck a passenger train in the Zaporizhzhia region, killing the train conductor. The operator shared images showing rail coaches engulfed in flames.
Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, launching several large-scale missile barrages in July. According to Ukrainian officials, ballistic missiles have been used in at least seven major attacks this month as Ukraine continues to face shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles.
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