Russia launched a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv this month, the local military administration reported early on August 18, 2024. This marked the third air attack on the city in August 2024, with each strike occurring six days apart.
Ukraine’s air force chief, Mykola Oleshchuk, said that Ukrainian forces successfully intercepted and destroyed eight Russian attack drones and five of eight missiles launched overnight. The strikes targeted Kyiv, the Sumy, and Poltava regions. No significant damage or injuries were reported.
Oleshchuk noted the use of two KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) produced in North Korea in the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the ongoing assaults, accusing Russia of “deliberate and targeted terror.” He stated that over 40 missiles, 750 guided bombs, and 200 drones had been used by Russian forces in attacks on Ukraine over the past week.
“Russia always knows where it strikes,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the attacks.
Ukraine regularly asked its Western allies to provide more air defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, such as the US-made MIM-104 Patriot or the Franco-Italian SAMP/T Aster 30 MAMBA.