Russia launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, killing at least 17 people, injuring more
than 40 and destroying warehouses and logistics centres of major retailers, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. Several explosions were heard across Kyiv during the night as fires lit up the sky. The Ukrainian capital has been coming under missile attacks every few days in recent weeks as Russia has stepped up its air campaign. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack once again exposed Ukraine's shortage of air defence systems and urged Western allies to provide more missile interceptors. According to Ukraine's air force, air defences shot down nearly 90 per cent of the 115 drones launched by Russia but failed to intercept any of the 24 ballistic missiles and four Zircon cruise missiles used in the attack. Ukraine has been facing a severe shortage of interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot air defence systems, currently the only weapon in its arsenal capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles. Officials said the attack mainly targeted warehouses, infrastructure and a railway station. Zelenskyy said a brewing company, construction material warehouses and other civilian logistics facilities were destroyed. "Ballistic missile interceptors could have saved the lives of those killed today," Zelenskyy said. "It is very important that our partners understand that delays in supplying them, or an unwillingness to provide anti-ballistic systems, lead directly to such horrific casualties and destruction." Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck seven logistics centres in Kyiv and the surrounding region, alleging they were being used to store or distribute dual-use goods and drone components. Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians during the war, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Meanwhile, Ukraine said it carried out an overnight strike on a logistics hub belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries as it continues attacks on Russian logistics infrastructure. Ukraine's largest home improvement retailer, Epicentr, said two of its key logistics centres and a factory were destroyed within minutes in the missile strikes. The company said it was too early to estimate the full extent of the damage. "This is a deliberate attack on Ukrainian manufacturing, logistics, jobs and the country’s ability to recover," Epicentr said in a statement. Iryna Chechotkina, co-founder of leading online retailer Rozetka, said three ballistic missiles destroyed the company's facilities. "How did I feel that night? Devastation and pain," she wrote on Facebook. "A feeling that I must carry on despite everything. ROZETKA is still operating."
