Kyiv Reels After Barrage of Russian Strikes

Multiple districts hit as officials assess damage and casualties.

A relentless overnight assault on Kyiv saw explosions echoing across the city as Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack. The attack, which extended to other Ukrainian cities, has resulted in numerous injuries and widespread damage.

Capital Under Fire

The capital city of Kyiv endured strikes on at least 13 locations, officials reported. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, at least 19 people were injured, and 14 have been hospitalized.

The head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, issued warnings about fires erupting throughout Kyiv. He urged residents to shut their windows due to perilous levels of combustion products in the air.

Russia, a terrorist country, has wreaked havoc, Tkachenko wrote on Telegram, adding, The Russians bring nothing but terror and murder. That is a fact.

Journalists on the ground reported hearing explosions starting around 10 p.m. local time on July 3 and continuing into the early hours of July 4. Ukraine’s Air Force noted the launch of a ballistic missile toward Kyiv around 12:30 a.m., followed by more missiles around 2:30 a.m.

Smoke filled the air, even in areas distant from the direct impact zones. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported responding to over 20 fire incidents caused by the strikes (SESU 2025).

Extensive Damage Across Districts

Tkachenko reported an earlier drone strike that damaged a residential building in the Obolon district, causing a roof fire.

Klitschko said that in the Sviatoshynskyi district, drone wreckage ignited storage facilities and struck the courtyard of a 16-story building. Parked vehicles caught fire. Drone debris also sparked a fire at a local business.

Tkachenko reported that in the Dniprovskyi district, drone debris landed near a school and several residential buildings. In the Solomianskyi district, debris landed in an open area.

Fires also engulfed the Solomianskyi district, according to Klitschko. An administrative building, storage facilities, and a garage were ablaze. “Non-residential buildings” sustained damage from debris.

Another fire broke out on the first floor of an uninhabited 8-story residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district, Klitschko stated. A business also caught fire in the same district.

A medical facility in the Holosiivskyi district suffered damage, Klitschko confirmed.

Attacks Beyond Kyiv

The overnight attacks extended to other regions. In Poltava, downed drones struck property and a vehicle, according to regional Governor Volodymyr Kohut. He said two people were injured.

Geopolitical Context

The drone assault occurred hours after a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. During that call, Putin reportedly stated that Russia will continue to pursue its goals in Ukraine, despite Western calls for a ceasefire.

Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities have experienced increased drone and missile strikes recently, with Russia deploying Iranian-designed Shahed drones in record numbers.

On June 17, Russia launched one of its largest attacks against Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war, resulting in 28 deaths and 134 injuries. Less than a week later, the city faced another mass strike involving ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones.

Ukrainian officials have cautioned that these ongoing attacks aim to weaken air defense systems and terrorize the civilian population.

Despite the escalating attacks, the U.S. recently decided to halt shipments of Patriot missiles and other promised weapons to Kyiv, citing the need to bolster its own stockpiles.

Ukraine scrambles to clarify extent of U.S. military aid pause and ‘whether everything will continue’

When the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) halted the transfer of critical air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Kyiv and its partners were caught off-guard and are now left scrambling for clarity on the scope and length of the Trump administration’s decision. The White House confirmed the halt after a July 1 report by Politico said shipments were paused due to concerns over the size of domestic stockpiles. The decision “was made to put America’s interests first following a DOD rev