Russia Kills 17 in 11-Hour Kyiv Strike With 500 Drones and 70 Missiles
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 1
Russia Kills 17 in 11-Hour Kyiv Strike With 500 Drones and 70 Missiles
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 1
Summary
17 people were confirmed dead and 86 injured in Kyiv by midday Thursday after Russian strikes hit more than 20 sites, mostly residential buildings, with rescuers still searching rubble for survivors.
Nearly 500 drones and more than 70 missiles were launched at Ukraine in what Kyiv called a massive combined strike; most were intercepted, but 33 projectiles still made impact.
110 emergency teams were sent to 59 locations across the capital, where damage also hit an ambulance station, a research institute, a hotel and other businesses.
Moscow said the barrage was retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, while Kyiv said it struck a major oil refinery in Kstovo, a railway bridge and a command post overnight.
The attack underscored an escalating air war in which Ukraine has pushed deeper into Russia with long-range drones, even as the Kremlin says it will keep increasing pressure on Kyiv.
Can Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian refineries economically cripple Moscow's ability to wage war?
Is the future of warfare a battle of mass-produced cheap drones rather than expensive super-weapons?
Are international war crime laws becoming obsolete in the face of modern, high-tech conflicts?
Kyiv Suffers Deadliest Attack of 2026: 74 Missiles, 496 Drones Strike Capital Amid Escalating Russia-Ukraine War
Overview
On July 2, 2026, Kyiv suffered a massive combined drone and missile attack by Russia, with 74 missiles and 496 UAVs launched, including 25 ballistic missiles that hit their targets. President Zelensky, after receiving intelligence about the planned strike, cut short his visit to Dublin and warned citizens to take shelter. The attack caused significant destruction across multiple districts, resulting in at least nine confirmed deaths, with the toll expected to rise as rescue operations continued. Ukrainian officials highlighted the urgent need for stronger international support, emphasizing the ongoing threat and the resilience of Kyiv’s defenses.