Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv, spark fires as attacks kill two elsewhere

Kyiv,UPDATED: Jul 26, 2026 19:00 IST

Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv early on Sunday, setting off fires and wounding at least three civilians, while attacks on other parts of Ukraine later killed at least two people, local officials said. The strikes came days after a major Russian attack near Kyiv on Friday that killed at least 10 people and wounded around 100 others.

The latest attacks also came as Ukraine's drone campaign inside Russia has, according to the report, slowed Russian advances and added to pressure on President Vladimir Putin by causing fuel shortages. In Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, Kremlin-installed authorities said a Ukrainian drone strike killed four civilians in Horlivka.

Blasts were heard across Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, with falling debris setting a tower block near the historic centre on fire, mayor Vitali Klitschko said. He added that debris also caused fires in other buildings, cars and car parks across the capital. Three people were wounded, one of whom needed hospital treatment.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said in his evening address on Friday that intelligence assessments showed Russia was preparing missiles for a large attack, with indications this could happen within 48 hours. On Sunday, Russia's defence ministry claimed its latest attack on Kyiv struck sites linked to drone production.

Elsewhere, a drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, killed one person and wounded at least six others, including two children, mayor Igor Terekhov said. In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian glide bomb killed one man and wounded at least six others, according to mayor Ivan Fedorov. Both cities have been frequent targets of Russian attacks, with Zaporizhzhia, just over 20 kilometres from the front line, facing heavy bombardment in recent months.

In Horlivka, Ivan Prikhodko, the city's Russian-appointed mayor, said the city had been under fire since early Sunday. Russia's defence ministry also said its forces shot down 133 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, the Black Sea and Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

On Sunday, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that "Ukraine's position is stronger than ever since the war began". After a call with his Ukrainian counterpart, he wrote on X that "continued support from Ukraine's partners is critical to keep up the momentum." The day ended with both sides reporting fresh strikes, casualties and damage across several areas.

With PTI Inputs

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