On the night of August 20, a devastating missile attack by Russia killed at least 12 people in Kyiv. According to local authorities, the explosions reverberated throughout Ukraine’s capital. The Ukraine Emergency Service reported that 33 individuals sustained injuries, with the air raid alert continuing into the early morning.

The missile assaults by Russia impacted 12 locations within Kyiv’s Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Solomianskyi districts. The attacks caused significant damage to residential buildings, a medical center, and an educational facility. Emergency crews were promptly at the site, rescuing people trapped under debris.

In the Solomianskyi district, the upper floors of a nine-story residential building were completely destroyed, with fires erupting on other levels. Individuals found themselves trapped in residential buildings and a school shelter, highlighting the attack’s widespread impact.

Tetiana Dzhafarova captured the damage, showing wrecked cars and devastated buildings. A heart-wrenching scene unfolded as Francisco Seco documented relatives consoling each other after losing a loved one in the assault.

Larysa Bondaruk, a 60-year-old resident, recounted her harrowing experience while sitting on the ground with her rescued cat, Chanel. Her apartment faced severe damage, and, with tears in her eyes, she shared the sorrow of losing her neighbor’s grandson, who was trapped under the ruins.

The missile hit caused significant devastation, with debris and doors blown away. Larysa expressed gratitude to the rescuers who acted swiftly, although two individuals perished in her building.

Russia’s increased missile attacks aim to deplete Kyiv’s air defense resources, which are limited in intercepting ballistic threats. Kyiv struggles with a shortage of missiles for its Patriot air defense systems.

Previously, President Donald Trump had authorized licenses for Ukraine to produce Patriot systems, but later reversed the decision. Despite this, Ukraine is ramping up its campaign with long-range strikes on Russian military assets, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s capability to launch further assaults on Ukrainian territory.