A massive Russian missile and drone barrage struck Kyiv early Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring 77 others as explosive waves targeted Ukraine's capital and surrounding regions.
The administrative head of Kyiv, Tymur Tkachenko, reported that 13 people died and 56 suffered injuries within the capital city alone following direct hits on residential high-rises.
>>> Canada Selects Germany's TKMS to Build New Submarine Fleet
“These are residential buildings. Places where people slept and lived their ordinary lives,” Tkachenko said.
According to regional administration head Mykola Kalashnyk and emergency services, an additional six people were killed and 21 were injured across the wider Kyiv region.
The evacuation of 600 residents in the suburb of Vyshneve was prompted by unexploded ordnance hazards.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia deployed 351 drones and 68 missiles overnight.
All 29 ballistic missiles hit their targets because a global shortage of Patriot interceptors left defensive stockpiles depleted.
“To intercept ballistics, we need the means for interception,” said Yurii Ihnat, air force spokesman.
“Russians are certainly using the fact that there is a serious deficit of interceptor missiles now, in Ukraine and the world.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies ahead of this week's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, to immediately supply more defensive weapons to halt the strikes on civilian infrastructure.
“As long as Patriot missiles remain in our allies’ stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep ‘vanquishing’ residential buildings.
>>> UEFA Slams FIFA for Allowing Balogun to Play Despite Red Card
