Russia kills 17 in heavy ballistic hit on Ukraine, destroys warehouses, logistics

Russia fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the surrounding region on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and destroying warehouses and logistics centres of major retailers, Ukrainian officials said.

Multiple explosions ripped through the area during the night, and fires lit up the dark skies over the Ukrainian capital, which has come under missile attack every three to four days in recent weeks as Russia has escalated its air war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine's lack of missile defences had once again cost lives and urged Ukraine's foreign allies to replenish its supplies of interceptors.

Ukrainian air defences downed nearly 90 per cent of the 115 drones launched by Russia but failed to intercept a single one of the 24 ballistic missiles and four Zircon cruise missiles, the air force said.

For months, Ukraine has suffered from a critical shortage of air defence missiles for US Patriot systems, the only weapon in its arsenal capable of downing Russia's ballistic missiles, which travel at many times the speed of sound. During this time, Russia has intensified its ballistic strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as its advances on the frontline have slowed considerably this year.

Officials said more than 40 people were injured in the attack.

The main targets were warehouses, infrastructure and a railway station, Zelenskyy said, adding that a brewing company, construction materials 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 it had struck seven logistics centres in Kyiv and the surrounding region, accusing them of being used to store or distribute dual-use goods and drone components.

Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in the war triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

As Kyiv aims to bring the war back to Russia, Ukraine hit a logistics hub of Russian online retailer Wildberries overnight, adding to more than a dozen it has damaged recently.

FACILITIES DESTROYED WITHIN MINUTES

Epicentr, Ukraine's largest home improvement and DIY retail chain, said two key logistics facilities and a factory were destroyed within minutes during the attacks. It was too early to assess the full scale of the damage, it said.

"This is a deliberate attack on Ukrainian manufacturing, logistics, jobs and the country’s ability to recover," Epicentr said in a statement.

Ukraine's economy has proved remarkably resilient over more than four years of war, backed by billions in financial aid from Western partners. But this year the business losses are piling up.

Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi, who took office last month in a reshuffle, said the government would call an emergency meeting with businesses to work out how to secure smooth operations of logistics and trade companies.

Kyiv sought more PAC-3s, the newest type of Patriot interceptor missile and one of the few weapons capable of downing Russia's ballistic missiles launched into Ukraine.

The United States is pressing ahead with talks to allow Ukraine to make Patriot missiles, even after President Donald Trump cast doubt on such a deal, four sources familiar with the discussions said.