Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine urgently needs more Patriot missiles to defend against Russian attacks.
Firefighters and truck drivers gather at the site of a food warehouse fire after it was hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine Aug 20, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
21 Aug 2026 04:27AM
KYIV: Russian bombardments killed at least 16 people in Ukraine's capital and surrounding areas overnight, authorities said Thursday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging a global response to Moscow's "escalation" of the four-year war.In the early morning hours, rescuers in Kyiv were sifting through the rubble of destroyed buildings, including a damaged children's hospital, while grieving families watched as two bodies were pulled out of an apartment block."There used to be a building here, and now it's gone," said 45-year-old resident Maria Abramova. She had only just reached her children's room after the air raid alert sounded when explosions rang out, blowing her windows out and "nearly killing" her husband.The ballistic missiles that Moscow increasingly fires at Kyiv fly up to thousands of kilometres per hour and reach the capital within minutes of an air raid warning.The first explosions rang out over Kyiv less than three minutes after the official warning late Wednesday night - leaving locals basically no time to reach a shelter.Kyiv has struggled to intercept the salvos of ballistic missiles, which can only be effectively shot down by US-designed Patriot air defence systems.The country has repeatedly appealed to its allies for additional support as Russia steps up its strikes - firing a record number of missiles in July, according to AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data."We need missiles for the 'Patriots' - something that only our partners can provide," Zelenskyy said in his evening address."It is vital that decisions are taken - the relevant political decisions by our partners, and first and foremost in the United States," he added.
