12 Dead in Massive Russian Missle Attack on Kyiv; Air Defenses Crippled by Interceptor Shortage
Dozens injured. Rescuers clear rubble at a residential building site. It"s the second large-scale assault on the Ukrainian capital in less than a week.
Another 3 persons were killed and 26 others were injured in districts surrounding Kyiv, according to authorities.
More than 500 residents evacuated from their homes in the village of Vyshneve near Kyiv. Officials warn of "the threat of a second detonation." Police have cordoned off the area. People have not yet been told when they will be allowed to return home.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the first explosions were heard at about 1:40am local time, followed by more strikes at 2:10am and 3:15am.
Thousands of residents fled to underground shelters. The air raid occurred in Kyiv at 9:22 a.m.
Tuesday, July 7, was declared a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital for the victims.
A previous massive Russian attack on Kyiv just four days ago killed 31 people and injured more than 100.
## Critically low supplies of interceptors
Russia fired 68 missiles and 351 drones overnight.
363 targets were shot down: 37 missiles and 326 drones of various types, Air Defences reported.
Ukraine's air defences failed to intercept any of the 29 ballistic missiles launched by Russia during the attack, Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Air Force Communications Department confirmed, saying the interception “success rate is low, to put it mildly.”
Ihnat stated bluntly that Ukraine does not have the means to counter Russia’s ballistic missiles.
“ We have enough systems, but what we need is a steady supply of missiles.” Ihnat emphasized and reiterated that Moscow is aware of this shortage and is exploiting this fact.
“This is typical of Putin”
In his nightly address on Sunday, July 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that another Russian assault might be coming before the NATO summit in Turkiye this week.
“Intelligence once again indicates that the Russians are preparing a new massive strike,” Zelenskyy noted, This is typical of Putin: right after America’s Independence Day and before the NATO Summit in Ankara.”
Separately Zelenskyy appealed to partners: missiles for Patriots are needed not in warehouses right now, but in Patriot units in Ukraine. Any delay with missiles for our air defense means the loss of lives, and it encourages Russia to continue the war.
The President of Ukraine confirmed that the Russian ballistic missiles were not shot down. And the reason lies in the insufficient supply of interceptor missiles.
## What does Ukraine expect from the Summit
It is critically important that the United States and our Europe come out of the NATO Summit in Ankara with strong decisions in support of Ukrainian air defense - Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president will lead a delegation to the NATO summit in Türkiye which begins on Tuesday, July 7.
For now, the strategy of NATO member states remains unchanged: to provide Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to fight, and that is what they will also focus on in Ankara.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in Turkey that the allies will announce new contributions to support Ukraine, but he did not go into details so as not to get ahead of official statements.
Now Kyiv needs funds first of all to produce its own weapons, as well as to buy critically needed missiles for the Patriot systems. They are the only ones capable of repelling Russian ballistic missiles that are destroying the country and killing civilians.
Zelenskyy will meet with Trump
The meeting is already scheduled on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey as part of a renewed effort to end Russia's war against Ukraine, a U.S. official told the Kyiv Independent on July 5.
Trump is scheduled to arrive at the summit on July 7 and is expected to meet with Zelensky at 10:30 a.m. local time the following day.
One U.S. official told Reuters the two leaders will discuss "how we can end the war."
"The battlefield has clearly frozen over the last couple of months and neither side is making a lot of progress," the official claimed. "The president feels a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to a stop."