EditRussian missile barrage on Kyiv kills 28, exposing Ukraine’s shortage of interceptors as NATO summit opens
Ballistic missiles are among the hardest threats to counter because of their speed and steep trajectory; only advanced interceptors can reliably engage them
As NATO leaders gather in Ankara for their summit beginning later today, Russia’s overnight missile and drone assault on Kyiv has starkly illustrated Ukraine’s acute shortage of ballistic missile interceptors – a vulnerability that Ukrainian officials say is emboldening further Russian attacks on civilian areas.
Early on Monday, Russian forces fired 23 ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital and surrounding Kyiv region. Ukrainian air force data shows none were intercepted. The barrage, combined with dozens of other missiles and 351 drones, killed at least 28 people (18 in Kyiv and 10 in the wider region) and heavily damaged nearly 30 residential buildings.
Ballistic missiles are among the hardest threats to counter because of their speed and steep trajectory; only advanced interceptors such as U.S.-made Patriot systems can reliably engage them. Ukraine’s stocks of these interceptors have run critically low, leaving the country exposed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly addressed the interceptor crisis in his nightly address, calling it “simply nonsensical that, in today’s world, production has still not been scaled up to the level that is actually needed to protect people from ballistic terror.” He reiterated Ukraine’s readiness to manufacture the weapons domestically if granted U.S. licenses for Patriot systems, saying this would allow Ukraine to defend itself and support partners.
All six Kalibr missiles were shot down last night, and 31 out of 33 cruise missiles were intercepted, meaning whenever the necessary capabilities are available, our warriors deliver truly high interception rates. That is the only explanation for the problem with ballistic… pic.twitter.com/epI2kCyy3D
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 6, 2026
Zelenskyy urged “strong decisions” at the NATO summit in Ankara and posted on X: “As long as Patriot missiles sit in our allies’ stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings. The U.S. and Europe have the power to stop this terror.”
During the same attack, Ukrainian air defences shot down 37 other missiles and more than 90% of the drones. Rescue crews worked through the night and into Monday searching rubble in a Kyiv high-rise where an entire family (two parents and a child) was recovered. Additional deaths were reported from Russian drone strikes in Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces conducted a “massive” strike using long-range precision weapons and drones, claiming hits on military and energy facilities in the Kyiv area as well as military airfields elsewhere in Ukraine.
The attack came just days after the deadliest strike on Kyiv this year (which killed 31 people last week) and on the eve of the NATO summit (July 7–8 in Ankara), where support for Ukraine is expected to feature prominently. Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders during the gathering.
Moscow has escalated an air war this year as its battlefield progress has slowed to a virtual crawl, hampered by Ukrainian long-range attacks on its military logistics and oil industry.
On Monday, Kyiv’s military said it had struck three Russian oil refineries — including the country’s largest in Omsk, more than 2,414 km (1,500 miles) away — as well as two “shadow fleet” vessels in the Sea of Azov.
The summit in Ankara provides a key moment for allies to confront Ukraine’s interceptor shortfall. Without accelerated deliveries or approvals for increased production, Ukrainian officials warn, Russia will continue to exploit the gap with ballistic strikes on cities.youtube.com
NATO leaders, including key figures expected at the Ankara summit, gather for the 2026 meeting focused on security and support for Ukraine.
With Reuters
Caption: Local people react at the site of a Russian missile strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, 6 July 2026, amid the Russian invasion. At least 14 people were killed and more than 60 injured, including five children, after an overnight attack on Kyiv, according to the State Emergency Service. Russia launched 351 drones and 68 missiles of various types during the attack on Ukraine, the Air Force reported, with Kyiv as the primary target. EPA/MAXYM MARUSENKO
Updated: July 7, 2026 - 02:36
