22 killed in intense Russian strikes on Kyiv on eve of NATO summit in Ankara

2026-07-06T18:04:10.300Z

At least 22 people were killed and dozens wounded in intense Russian strikes targeting residential buildings in Kyiv and its surroundings, the second attack in a week using ballistic missiles, on the eve of a critical NATO summit in Ankara, where Zelensky is demanding strong decisions to bolster Ukrainian air defenses.

Russia launched a massive pre-dawn attack on Monday with missiles and drones targeting residential buildings in Kyiv and its vicinity, killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens, according to local authorities, on the eve of a critical NATO summit in Ankara.

The latest figures showed 15 dead inside the capital Kyiv and seven in the surrounding region, in addition to damage to 30 residential buildings from the nighttime strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO to take 'strong decisions' to strengthen Ukraine's air defense systems, reiterating his urgent plea to allies to send advanced missiles for U.S.-made Patriot systems, following a previous Russian attack on July 2 that killed over 31 people in Kyiv.

Zelensky wrote on social media: 'It is vital that the world, led by the United States and our European partners, emerges from the NATO summit in Ankara with strong decisions to support our air defenses, and thus protect civilian lives.'

In the Poznyaki district in eastern Kyiv, resident Anna Miskova, 36, recounted how she narrowly survived after shelling destroyed the lower floors of her building, telling AFP: 'But we don't ignore warnings; I have a child, and we always stay on the ground floor.' In the Podilskyi district in northern Kyiv, agency reporters saw a large gap that pierced the middle of a residential building's floors.

In Vyshneve, in the Bucha area on the outskirts of Kyiv, a huge fire broke out in warehouses due to the attack, while falling debris damaged the surrounding area, according to regional military governor Mykola Kalachnyk. Rescue teams evacuated more than 600 people for fear of secondary explosions.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry announced it had conducted a 'massive strike' with missiles and drones targeting what it called 'military-industrial complex facilities' and fuel and energy infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions, claiming its forces shot down more than 500 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said several waves of drones were heading toward the Russian capital, as Kyiv has intensified its attacks on energy facilities inside Russia in recent weeks in an effort to weaken the Kremlin's war effort.

On the diplomatic front, the White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump would meet Zelensky on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. A senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'It is clear that President Trump will meet him to discuss ways to end the war; this issue has been a priority for him for a long time,' noting that Trump would later follow up with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, U.S. mediation efforts have so far yielded no concrete results, as Putin clings to his hardline demands regarding territory and politics, demands that Ukraine and its allies see as amounting to surrender.

The French Foreign Ministry condemned the new strikes, affirming 'continued support for Ukraine until a just and sustainable peace is achieved,' while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the attack shows Ukraine's 'urgent' need for more air defense systems, noting that this issue will be discussed during the NATO meeting in Ankara.