Russian missiles hit Kyiv without warning, killing at least two and injuring over 20

Russian ballistic missiles have struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv once again — and this time, too, there was no prior warning from allies, the Ukrainian government complained. Immediately after the air raid alarm was triggered, the first explosions were already heard in the city of millions, according to the Ukrainian news outlet The Kyiv Independent. A nine-story residential building caught fire after being hit. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, there were at least 2 dead and more than 20 injured.

As on the previous day, international partners again failed to provide advance warnings of incoming missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the evening. The projectiles were detected by radar only as they were already approaching Kyiv. In addition to the residential block, a thermal power plant was also hit. Zelenskyy complained that the Russian attackers were being given too easy a time. By morning, another wave of attacks was reported, with the consequences initially unclear.

US Government Denies Kyiv's Allegations

In its defense against Russia since 2022, Ukraine has relied primarily on reconnaissance data from the US military, as well as from other NATO member states. Recently, however, tensions between the governments in Kyiv and Washington have resurfaced. The US government denied Kyiv's allegations that military information was no longer being shared with the Ukrainians.

Zelenskyy made no secret of his frustration. "It is completely unfair when they (the Russians) destroy energy facilities and Ukraine does not even receive warnings about the launch of ballistic missiles," he wrote on Telegram. It was important, he said, that the US truly see what was happening and who was to blame for the war continuing.

The current situation is exacerbated by an acute ammunition shortage in the Ukrainian armed forces. While they lack missiles for air defense after long years of defensive war, Russia has intensified attacks on Kyiv and other cities. The most effective defense against ballistic missiles — which are particularly difficult to intercept due to their high speed — are the Patriot systems produced by the US. The Ukrainian army has several of them but not enough ammunition. One reason: the US and Israeli war against Iran has further depleted global ammunition stockpiles.

Zelenskyy in Conflict with Klitschko

As Russia's attacks repeatedly target Ukraine's energy supply, the cold season could become even harsher for a civilian population worn down by more than four and a half years of war, with the threat of power and heating outages. Zelenskyy accused the capital's authorities of poor preparation. "Every Kyiv resident can see that the city is truly not prepared," the head of state criticized in a video message — picking up on criticism circulating on social media.

The situation was worse than in the winters of previous war years — even individual drone attacks were already leading to power and water outages, Zelenskyy criticized. There were also problems with shelters, school preparations, the construction of protective structures for key facilities, and public transport. "Kyiv is lagging behind other regions in implementing stability plans," the president summarized, without naming Mayor Vitali Klitschko directly.

Klitschko rejected the accusations, pointing to the particularly harsh attacks of recent weeks. "The city leader does not bear responsibility for air defense," Klitschko told journalists. Kyiv was the main target of Russian attacks — and he himself was the victim of a campaign aimed at replacing him with a more loyal city leader. Klitschko spoke of an attack on municipal self-governance. Nationwide, he said, 300 inconvenient mayors had already been replaced by the central government.

War in Ukraine

With the invasion on February 24, 2022, Russia's large-scale war of aggression against Ukraine began. The annexation of Crimea had already occurred in March 2014, and shortly afterward the conflict erupted in eastern Ukrainian territories.

Klitschko and Zelenskyy are considered political opponents and repeatedly air their long-simmering conflict in public. The president may see the capital's mayor as a potential rival in a future presidential election and regularly criticizes his administration. Conversely, Klitschko accuses the head of state of an authoritarian governing style and erosion of democracy.

EU Advances Accession Talks with Ukraine

Meanwhile, the European Union is pushing forward with accession negotiations with Ukraine. In Luxembourg on Tuesday, talks began on further thematic clusters — namely the internal market, as well as competitiveness and inclusive growth. The Irish EU Council Presidency spoke of another milestone for Ukraine.

The decision to expand the negotiations, which also concerns neighboring Moldova, is seen by both countries as an important sign that their reform efforts are worthwhile. Ukraine in particular, embroiled in war for years, is expending great effort on these reforms.

The negotiation process for EU accession is intended to ensure that a candidate country meets all the requirements for membership. A conclusion of the talks is not expected before the next decade, especially for Ukraine. According to experts, the country remains far from EU standards, not least in the area of anti-corruption efforts.