Kyiv Under Missile Rain: 17 Dead, Zelensky Appeals to the West
Russian ballistic missiles hit Ukraine's capital and its outskirts, while Ukrainian drones struck back at Russian targets. Dozens of civilians were killed in a single day of conflict.
Russian ballistic missiles hit Ukraine's capital and its outskirts, while Ukrainian drones struck back at Russian targets. Dozens of civilians were killed in a single day of conflict.
At least 17 people were killed and 44 wounded in a massive Russian missile attack on Kyiv and its surroundings on Tuesday, August 5, 2026. The attack was carried out with ballistic missiles, and numerous powerful explosions echoed across the city. This is one of the deadliest strikes on the Ukrainian capital in recent months, as both sides intensify long-range attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately reacted on social media platform X, linking the loss of life to the lack of missile defense systems. "Interception systems could have saved the lives of those killed today," he wrote. "It is crucial that our partners understand that delays in delivering such systems, or the unwillingness to provide them, directly lead to loss of life and such terrible destruction."
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that air defense forces were active in the capital and its surroundings, warning that additional missiles were heading toward the city. The Kyiv City Military Administration stated that "Russian occupation forces launched a missile attack on Kyiv using ballistic weapons."
On the same day, a Russian Molniya drone struck the premises of the regional children's hospital in Zaporizhzhia. The explosion damaged the building's facade and shattered windows, but according to Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration, there were no casualties. "Fortunately, when the air raid siren sounded, all the children and medical staff were in shelters," Fedorov said.
Near Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, a shootout involving soldiers occurred in the village of Khmelnytskyi. A Russian army soldier opened fire first on his comrades and then on civilians. Four people were killed in the shooting, including one soldier and three civilians, while four others were wounded. The motive for the attack is not yet known.
Ukrainian forces retaliated with drone attacks deep into Russian territory. Several fires broke out in the industrial zone of Novoselki in the Moscow region, and Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed that five people were killed and six wounded. At the same time, logistics centers of Wildberries, known as the "Russian Amazon," were also targeted. Drones caused a fire at a facility in Krasny Bor in the Leningrad region, and a Wildberries warehouse in Emmaus in the Tver region was also attacked.
In Ukrainian attacks on the Luhansk region, which Russia controls and considers its territory since the 2022 annexation, two civilians were killed and four wounded, reported Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic.
Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities also claimed civilian lives far from the front lines. In Sumy, Russian guided bombs killed a woman and two girls aged 5 and 10. In Mykolaiv, an 89-year-old woman was killed in an attack.
The death toll from the Ukrainian drone attack on a beach in the Russian city of Gelendzhik on August 4, 2026, has risen to eight dead and 58 wounded. Among the dead are four children, confirmed Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, adding that three children are still hospitalized.
The conflict has also spilled into the Black Sea. Turkey's Foreign Ministry announced that two of its civilian ships, which had sailed from the Russian port of Novorossiysk, were attacked by drones. Some crew members, including Turkish nationals, were wounded. "We are seriously concerned about the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, which is also affecting civilian vessels, despite all our warnings," the statement from Ankara said, calling on both sides to take urgent measures to ensure navigational safety.
Amid the escalation, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with his Brazilian counterpart Lula da Silva. The Kremlin press office said Putin "expressed gratitude to his Brazilian counterpart for his desire to contribute to finding a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict."
