Russian missile and drone strikes killed 17 people and wounded 44 in Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight into Wednesday, August 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Rescue crews were clearing debris from warehouses, logistics sites and other damaged facilities after the large-scale attack.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, four other missiles and 115 drones. He blamed Ukraine’s shortage of ballistic-missile interceptors for the casualties, while Russia said it had targeted transport, logistics and distribution centers connected to military activity.
At a glance:
- 17 people were killed and 44 wounded in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
- The assault involved 24 ballistic missiles, four other missiles and 115 drones.
- Warehouses, logistics facilities, a railway station and infrastructure were damaged.
- Ukraine says Patriot interceptor shortages are leaving it more exposed to ballistic attacks.
Civilian businesses and warehouses hit
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said cleanup operations were continuing after what it called a massive attack. Strikes and fires were reported at warehouse facilities in Brovary and at another warehouse in Bucha, towns in the Kyiv region. Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s largest private postal operator, said a cluster munition destroyed one of its sorting centers.
Related coverage: Ukraine’s Elite Drone Force Targets Russian Infrastructure in Crimea and Beyond.
Zelenskyy said the main targets appeared to be civilian business facilities, including a brewery, construction-material warehouses and logistics sites. Epicentr, a major retail and construction chain, said one employee was killed and three were wounded after its logistics center was heavily damaged. The account could not be independently reconciled with Russia’s description of the targets.
Why interceptor supplies matter
The attack renewed Ukraine’s warnings that its air-defense ammunition is being depleted. Zelenskyy said ballistic interceptors could have saved lives and urged allied governments to speed deliveries or provide systems capable of stopping ballistic missiles. Ukraine relies especially on U.S.-made Patriot systems for that task.
In a July 6 address, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had intercepted most drones and cruise missiles in a previous barrage but lacked enough interceptors for ballistic threats. He also argued that Ukraine could manufacture Patriots domestically if the United States granted the necessary licenses. No new production authorization was announced in the sources reviewed.
More context: US Military Strikes Iranian Targets Following Tehran’s Attack on US Forces.
Russia and Ukraine trade further strikes
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces struck four transport, logistics and distribution centers in the Kyiv region that it claimed supported military operations. It also said three bulk carriers near Odesa were hit, alleging they were transporting weapons and equipment. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on that claim.
Ukraine launched its own drone strikes against Russia during the same period. The governor of Tula region said a drone hit a Wildberries warehouse in Aleksin and damaged other structures, including two apartment buildings. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it destroyed 475 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, a figure that was not independently verified.
Also read: Five Killed in Moscow Blast as Russia Accuses Ukraine.
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