Four people, including a 3-year-old child, were killed in Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and its surrounding region on Saturday, local officials reported, as Ukraine's air defenses struggled to counter the barrage.
Two grandparents and their grandson died when Russian drones destroyed their home in the Brovary district of Kyiv region, northeast of the capital. Three other family members and a neighbor were hospitalized following the early morning attack, which reduced the house to rubble and damaged vehicles.
In Kyiv itself, at least one other person was killed in an attack involving six ballistic missiles aimed at civilian infrastructure, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian air force data indicated that 135 of the 151 drones launched by Russia overnight were downed or intercepted, along with some ballistic and guided missiles.
Russia has continued to target civilian areas, despite Moscow's assertions that its forces strike only military facilities. A key factor in the effectiveness of Russian attacks is Ukraine's critical shortage of interceptors for U.S.-made Patriot systems, which are currently the only defense against ballistic missiles in the Ukrainian arsenal.
President Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to international partners, particularly the United States, for additional ammunition for these systems, which have become scarcer. He has also sought permission to produce Patriot ammunition within Ukraine or to use Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system to guide Ukrainian strikes inside Russia that could target missile launchers.
Following the latest assaults, Zelensky urged for enhanced sanctions to hinder the production of ballistic missiles, and called for more anti-ballistic and interceptor missile capabilities.
In a separate development, Ukraine struck an oil refinery in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. Local officials reported that five people were wounded when debris from a falling drone caused a fire at the Ilsky Oil Refinery. Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on Russian oil facilities have been ongoing for months, contributing to fuel shortages in Russia.
The attacks occurred hours after Zelensky arrived in Serbia for his first official visit to the country, where he was scheduled to discuss bilateral economic ties, EU relations, and security issues with Serbian officials.