Russia attacks Ukraine with 35 missiles; nine killed

In the early hours of August 1, the Russian army carried out another massive combined attack on critical infrastructure and residential areas in Ukraine.

According to official data from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), cited by Ukrainska Pravda, at 10:30 Bulgarian time, the launch of 35 missiles of various types and 185 combat drones was confirmed. The main strike was aimed at the capital Kiev and the surrounding region, but explosions also shook the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava regions.

Details of the Russian air strike and damage

The command of the Ukrainian Air Force specified that the enemy arsenal included:

4 anti-ship missiles of the "Zircon" and "Onyx" 27 ballistic missiles "Iskander-M" and S-400 systems 2 anti-radar missiles X-31 2 guided air missiles X-59/69 185 unmanned aerial vehicles of various modifications

To date, the country's air defense has managed to neutralize a total of 156 air targets — 154 drones and only two of the missiles fired. The remaining missiles hit over 21 locations, causing massive destruction in five areas of the capital. In the Solomyansky and Darnytskyi districts of Kiev, debris and direct hits collapsed parts of five-apartment buildings, administrative buildings and set dozens of cars on fire, including ambulances.

Victims and a sharp reaction from Zelensky

According to the official report of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, distributed by the media network Al Jazeera (aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/1/russian-missile-attack-kills-three-in-ukraines-kyiv), at least nine people have died, and another 28 citizens, including four children, have been seriously injured. Rescue operations in the destroyed buildings are still ongoing at this time, and the number of victims may increase.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an extraordinary statement on the social network X, promptly reported by the international analytical site Kyiv Independent (kyivindependent.com/kyiv-hammered-by-ballistic-missiles-as-russia-launches-2nd-major-attack-in-48-hours/). The head of state stressed that the low percentage of intercepted ballistic missiles is entirely due to the acute shortage of interceptor missiles for Western Patriot air defense systems. Zelensky called on international partners for immediate deliveries of ammunition directly from warehouses, rather than planning hypothetical future scenarios. The attack coincides with complicated negotiations with Washington over a license to produce Patriot systems on Ukrainian territory.