Massive attack on Kyiv ahead of NATO summit, 10 dead and dozens injured

A large-scale Russian attack with ballistic missiles and drones struck Kyiv in the early hours of Monday, leaving at least 10 dead and dozens injured. The incident came shortly before the NATO summit, which is also expected to be attended by US President Donald Trump.

Local authorities said several apartment buildings were hit directly, while many residents were trapped inside their apartments. Several vehicles also caught fire. In the Podilskyi district, emergency teams rescued residents, including children, from the upper floors of a damaged building.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air raid alerts were heard across the capital, prompting thousands of people to head to shelters. Major damage was also recorded in the Darnytskyi area, where the strikes caused severe damage to residential buildings and the evacuation of residents is continuing.

Several hours before the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned that Russia was preparing another massive strike. He said the timing of the attack was linked to diplomatic developments in the coming days, stressing that it is typical of Russian President Vladimir Putin to intensify attacks ahead of major international events.

The attack came just days after another Russian bombardment of Kyiv which, according to Ukrainian authorities, caused 30 deaths and is considered one of the deadliest since the start of the war.

At the same time, the war in Ukraine is expected to be among the main issues at the NATO summit. According to the text, Donald Trump held a roughly 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as another with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as part of efforts to encourage a resolution to the conflict.