Russia Launches Deadly Ballistic Missile Strikes on Kyiv Ahead of NATO Summit

Russia launched a series of ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine, resulting in at least nine deaths and dozens of injuries, authorities reported on the eve of the NATO summit in Turkey. This marks the second such attack on the Ukrainian capital and its surroundings within a week, highlighting the intensification of long-range strikes by both sides in the ongoing conflict that began over four years ago with Russia's invasion.

An AFP journalist in Kyiv reported hearing more than ten explosions during an early Monday morning ballistic missile alert, followed by visible flashes in the sky and additional blasts about 30 minutes later. The attacks caused the collapse of a nine-story building. Eight fatalities occurred in Kyiv, with one more in the Buka district northwest of the capital, and at least 43 people were wounded in the area.

The timing of the attack coincides with the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to discuss the war. Following the summit, Trump plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Washington seeks to revive stalled peace efforts.