Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia Under Ballistic Missile Attack
On the night of August 10-11, 2026, Russia launched a massive ballistic strike on Ukrainian cities, using Zircon hypersonic missiles and KN-23 ballistic projectiles.
On the night of August 10-11, 2026, Russia launched a massive ballistic strike on Ukrainian cities, using Zircon hypersonic missiles and KN-23 ballistic projectiles.
Loud explosions echoed through Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia in the early hours of August 11, 2026, as Russia fired volleys of ballistic missiles at cities across Ukraine. Ukraine's air force warned that, in addition to the capital and the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv were also targeted.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the attack and appealed to residents. "The city is under ballistic attack," Klitschko said, urging residents to take shelter. Medical teams were dispatched to the impact site in the Shevchenkivskyi district, with no information on damage or casualties yet available.
Asami Terajima, a journalist for the Kyiv Independent who was in Zaporizhzhia at the time of the attack, described the dramatic scenes. "We heard about 10 explosions, I believe they were ballistic missiles," Terajima said. "And we just had one bad hit that shook the entire building like an earthquake." That hit, according to her, was likely caused by a guided aerial bomb.
Terajima highlighted the severity of the air defense shortage. "Unfortunately, I think you can see how serious the shortage is, especially in coastal regions like this one," she stated.
According to an analysis by AMK Mapping, two KN-23 ballistic missiles and four Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles were aimed at Kyiv, while four KN-23 ballistic missiles struck Zaporizhzhia. It was noted that for the first time in several weeks, Patriot PAC-3 interceptors were launched from Kyiv in an attempt to shoot down the missiles, with at least four launches observed.
Russian military correspondents also reported on the attack. The RVvoenkor channel described "explosions and a strong fire in Kyiv" as a result of the attack with Tsirkon and Iskander missiles, adding that two salvos of ballistic missiles were fired. Another source, Voenacher, stated that three Tsirkon missiles fell on a facility in the Zhuliany area of Kyiv, where a fire broke out. The number of missiles targeting Kyiv varies among sources, with AMK Mapping mentioning four Tsirkons and Voenacher reporting three hits on one facility, which need not be contradictory.
The attack comes amid a dramatic escalation of Russia's missile campaign during the summer of 2026, at a time when a critical shortage of air defense systems leaves Ukrainian cities virtually defenseless against ballistic missiles. The Zaporizhzhia regional administration warned residents that the city was targeted by aerial bombs, drones, and missiles. According to additional information, as part of this massive barrage, at least 11 Russian glide bombs hit Zaporizhzhia and its surroundings, further intensifying the destruction in the region.
