In the early hours of August 5, the Russian armed forces launched a new large-scale offensive against the Ukrainian capital Kiev, using high-speed ballistic missiles.
The attack began shortly after midnight, and at 00:20 local time, the Ukrainian Air Force officially declared an alert for an imminent ballistic threat. According to journalists at the scene, the city was hit by multiple powerful explosions from hits and the operation of air defense systems (AVO).
Huge fires and destruction in Kiev
The mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed via his official Telegram channel that air defense is operating in critical mode, while new missile waves continue to fly towards the city. Falling debris and direct hits have caused huge fires in several administrative and residential areas of the capital. Teams of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine have already been sent to the locations to control the fire and provide first aid to any victims. At present, information on the exact number of victims and the extent of material damage remains in the process of being clarified due to the ongoing complex situation.
Chronology of the escalation and air defense shortage
The night strike on August 5 comes just days after the previous devastating ballistic attack on August 1, which killed at least nine civilians and injured more than 30. Ukrainian authorities, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have repeatedly warned of a critical shortage of interceptor missiles for the American Patriot systems. This is emerging as a major vulnerability of the country's air defense in the face of greatly intensified Russian missile fire in the summer of 2026.