Russian Strikes on Kyiv Wound Five, Zelenskyy Warns of Massive Attack

Russian missile and drone strikes hit Kyiv early on Thursday (July 2, 2026), wounding at least five people and causing fires, according to local officials. The attack came after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was preparing a 'massive attack' against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian air force issued alerts for ballistic missiles heading towards the capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed on Telegram that explosions were heard across the city. 'The enemy continues to launch missiles at the capital,' he said.

Five healthcare workers were wounded in the Shevchenkivskyi district, one critically, Klitschko reported. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said the strikes caused fires, destroyed a residential building, and damaged a medical facility.

AFP journalists in central and eastern Kyiv heard more than a dozen explosions and saw residents, including children and pets, rushing into metro stations used as shelters. Hours earlier, an AFP reporter witnessed an explosion during an air-raid alert, followed by smoke and flames. Firefighters and ambulances arrived at the scene, and a second blast occurred about 50 minutes later near the same site.

The attack follows Zelenskyy's abrupt return from a visit to Dublin on Wednesday (July 1) after intelligence reports indicated an imminent Russian strike. 'I urge our people to be especially careful, to protect themselves, their children, and, of course, their families; to use shelters and heed air raid alerts,' he told a news conference. He stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin 'has been preparing this massive strike for some time now.'

Russia has routinely launched waves of missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities during its more than four-year invasion, which has become Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. Ukraine has also stepped up long-range drone attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy infrastructure and military sites. Russian officials report repeated strikes in border regions, claiming their air defences have intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones.

A study published Wednesday (July 1) by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that Russia's invasion has caused more than two million military casualties, with Russian forces bearing the brunt of the losses. U.S. efforts to broker an end to the conflict have so far failed.