At least seven people were killed in a fresh wave of Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight, local authorities reported on Wednesday. The attacks occurred just hours before a NATO summit in Ankara, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump and other alliance leaders.
In the capital Kyiv, one person died after a missile strike ignited warehouses, according to mayor Vitali Klitschko. The first large explosion was heard shortly after midnight, before the city's air raid sirens had even sounded—a rare failure that unsettled residents already on edge after weeks of intensified bombardment.
Regional Toll Mounts
In the southern Mykolaiv region, a mother and her daughter were killed when Russian forces deployed guided aerial bombs, said regional military head Vitaliy Kim. Two more fatalities were reported in the northeastern Kharkiv region, and another two in the frontline Kherson region in the south, officials confirmed.
Russia has struck the Ukrainian capital repeatedly over the past week, using ballistic missiles and drones in a spate of attacks that have killed more than 50 people this month alone. The latest strikes underscore the persistent threat to civilian infrastructure and lives, even as diplomatic efforts continue.
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Zelenskyy urged allies to deliver ammunition for US-made Patriot air defence systems, which are critical for intercepting Russia's ultra-fast, hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles. Ukraine's air defences have struggled to keep pace with the intensity of the assaults; a recent overnight attack saw no ballistic missiles intercepted, highlighting the urgency of resupply.
Ukraine has also escalated its campaign against Russia's so-called shadow fleet—ageing tankers that export Russian oil products, generating crucial revenue for Moscow's war effort. The commander of Kyiv's drone forces reported that 21 Russian ships in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov had been hit over the past 72 hours. This follows a pattern of long-range strikes, including a recent hit on Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, over 2,500 kilometres from the border.
The Ankara summit comes as Ukraine presses for both NATO support and EU membership, arguing that its battlefield innovation proves it belongs in the alliance. Meanwhile, European allies continue to bolster Ukraine's defence industry; Estonia and Ukraine recently signed a drone pact to strengthen ties in that sector.
As the war enters its third year, the human cost remains stark. The overnight strikes in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson are a grim reminder that Russian attacks show no sign of abating, even as diplomatic channels remain open.
