At least 17 people were killed and dozens more injured in Kyiv on Tuesday night in one of the deadliest Russian attacks in recent months.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles and four anti-ship missiles, although it did not specify whether any had been intercepted.
The strikes hit at least seven locations across the Holosiivskyi, Obolonskyi, Desnianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, while significant damage was also reported in the wider Kyiv region.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service said rescue crews continued operating under particularly dangerous conditions because of the ongoing risk of further strikes.
Ammonia leak sparks emergency response
During the attack, a missile damaged a tank containing approximately 300 litres of ammonia in the Holosiivskyi district, causing a chemical leak and prompting an immediate emergency response.
Authorities said the leak was contained at around 2:10am and that there was no longer any danger to local residents.
Russia's Defence Ministry said the strike targeted transport, logistics and distribution centres allegedly used for storing Ukrainian military weapons and equipment.
The attack once again highlighted Ukraine's shortage of advanced air defence systems, as Washington has warned that production of additional Patriot missile systems is not expected to begin before the winter.
Ukraine launches retaliatory strike
At the same time, Ukraine carried out a new drone attack against a Wildberries sorting centre in Russia's Tula region.
According to local authorities, the strike caused damage to two apartment buildings and industrial facilities in the area.
During the final week of July alone, Ukrainian attacks reportedly resulted in 61 deaths and 327 injuries.
July becomes deadliest month for civilians
According to Ukrainian figures, July was the deadliest month for civilians since April 2022.
Russian attacks killed at least 377 civilians and injured a further 2,129 people, as the war entered its fifth year.
Concerns over Russia-North Korea military cooperation
Meanwhile, Ukraine's military intelligence service expressed concern over deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Ukrainian intelligence official Andrii Cherniak claimed that a North Korean missile unit is expected to be deployed to Russia's Voronezh region as part of the 112th Missile Brigade.
According to Cherniak, the deployment would include around 90 North Korean military personnel, together with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers. Final details are expected to be discussed at high-level talks next month.
He further claimed that North Korea has already supplied a new batch of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, which have a longer range than Russia's Iskander missiles but are considered less accurate.
The claims have not been independently verified, and neither Russia's Defence Ministry nor North Korea's mission to the United Nations commented on the allegations.
According to the same source, North Korea has delivered approximately 150 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles to Russia since late 2023, while about 9,500 North Korean troops remain stationed in Russia's Kursk region, although they are not currently taking a direct role in combat operations in Ukraine.
