Russia Launches Massive Overnight Strike on Kyiv: 2 Killed, Dozens Injured

In the early hours of July 10, Russia launched a massive, coordinated drone and missile assault on Kyiv and several regions of Ukraine, marking one of the most intense attacks on the capital in recent months. 

The Gaze reports on this with reference to posts by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

The onslaught, which lasted nearly 10 hours, involved at least 18 missiles, including ballistic ones, and close to 400 drones, nearly half of which were Iranian-made Shaheds.

Kyiv was the primary target, with strikes also reported in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kirovohrad, and Kharkiv regions. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept the majority of the incoming aerial weapons, but falling debris caused significant destruction on the ground.

Two people were confirmed killed in Kyiv. One of the victims was a 68-year-old resident, the other – a 22-year-old police corporal serving with the Kyiv Metro Police. 

Both died in the city’s Podil district. Sixteen others were injured, ten of whom required hospitalization, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko and local emergency officials.

Multiple fires broke out across the capital as a result of the attack. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, a blaze erupted on the top floor of a residential building after debris from a drone strike. 

Fires were also reported at a gas station and garages in the Darnytskyi district, and several non-residential buildings and vehicles across the city were damaged.

Kyiv's emergency response teams were deployed in full force, with over 400 personnel and 90 units of specialized equipment working throughout the night to extinguish fires, remove rubble, and treat the wounded.

The attacks also caused damage to medical, educational, and transportation infrastructure. One outpatient clinic in Podil, Primary Health Care Center No. 1, was reported to be nearly destroyed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by calling the attack a “clear escalation of terror” and urged Ukraine’s international partners to act swiftly. 

“This demands that we speed things up. Sanctions must be imposed faster, and pressure on Russia must be strong enough that they truly feel the consequences of their terror. There’s a need for quicker action from our partners in investing in weapons production and advancing technology,” he said. 

Zelenskyy confirmed he would speak with allies from the so-called Coalition of the Willing later in the day about funding for interceptor drones and boosting Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.