Russian strike on Kyiv ahead of NATO summit

Russian forces carried out a major overnight attack on Kyiv in the early hours of 6 July 2026, using a combination of missiles and drones. Ukrainian officials described the capital as the main target of the assault, which came on the eve of a NATO summit in Ankara. The strike formed part of a broader wave of attacks across Ukraine but focused heavily on the capital.

Ukraine’s air force said the operation involved 68 missiles and 351 drones launched against the country. The missile component included 23 ballistic missiles, alongside other types of cruise and advanced weapons. Reports from multiple outlets noted that the scale and intensity of the strike made it one of the more substantial recent attacks on Kyiv.

Ukrainian air-defence forces reported that none of the ballistic missiles launched in the attack were intercepted. By contrast, Ukrainian statements cited in several reports said that all cruise missiles used in the strike were shot down. The inability to stop the ballistic weapons contributed to significant damage on the ground.

The reported failure to intercept any of the 23 ballistic missiles highlighted persistent gaps in Ukraine’s air-defence coverage. Ukrainian officials have linked these vulnerabilities to limited numbers of high-end systems and interceptors, particularly those designed to counter fast, high-altitude missile threats.

Initial casualty figures from the overnight strikes on Kyiv pointed to at least 10 people killed, with some outlets citing higher death tolls as information continued to emerge. Dozens of people were reported injured in the attacks. Residential areas and multiple districts of the city sustained damage from missile impacts and falling debris.

Emergency services worked through the early morning to respond to fires, rescue operations and infrastructure disruptions. The full extent of structural damage and longer-term impact on essential services had yet to be fully detailed in the initial reporting, but the strike underscored the human and physical toll of the continued aerial campaign.

In the aftermath of the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO leaders to adopt what he described as strong decisions at their upcoming summit in Ankara on 7–8 July 2026. He framed the overnight strikes on Kyiv as evidence of Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air-defence support from allies.

Zelensky specifically urged partners to supply more air-defence interceptors, including Patriot missiles, to better protect Ukrainian cities and civilians from missile and drone attacks. The NATO meeting’s agenda is expected to include discussions on support for Ukraine and measures to strengthen air-defence capabilities and defence industrial production among member states.