Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 12 people and injured many others early Tuesday. The strikes, which marked the sixth consecutive day of attacks on the Ukrainian capital, resulted in eight deaths within the city and four in the surrounding area. Among the victims were seven people killed at a railway depot on Kyiv's left bank. Several others were wounded, including three children, just as students returned to school.
The assault targeted civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and railway facilities. Russian forces have deployed swarms of new jet-powered drones that are harder to shoot down. Ukraine's air force spokesperson, Yuriy Ihnat, stated that Russia launched more than 2,800 of these drones in August, with an interception rate of approximately 60%. Additionally, strikes in the southern Odesa region hit infrastructure, leaving thousands of people without electricity.
President Zelenskyy stated that Moscow is capitalizing on a shortage of US-made Patriot interceptors to lower morale in the capital. These intensified strikes, which have triggered up to a dozen air-raid alerts a day, are seen as retaliation against Kyiv's sustained deep strike campaign on Russian infrastructure. European officials are now scrambling to find more air defenses for Ukraine as the daily barrages continue to disrupt the daily lives of millions.