Ukraine's Zelenskyy: Russia launched 18 missiles and around 400 drones overnight

Around four hundred drones and 18 missiles were launched by Russia in an overnight assault on Ukraine, with the capital being the primary target, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy added that his meetings with international partners today will focus on securing additional funding for air defence systems and drone interception capabilities.

Officials reported there were two deaths in Kyiv after missiles bore down on the capital early on Thursday (10 July). Thirteen others were injured after fires broke out in apartment and non-residential buildings.

The attacks forced thousands of people to frequently seek bomb shelters overnight according to authorities.

"Residential buildings, vehicles, warehouse facilities, office and non-residential buildings are on fire," head of Kyiv's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters reporters said that videos showed shattered windows, damaged facades, and burnt-out cars. City officials reported damage in six out of Kyiv’s ten districts.

In the Shevchenkivskyi district, known for its cultural venues and nightlife - residential buildings suffered significant damage, the local administrator reported.

Thick smoke engulfed parts of the city, dimming the morning sky. According to Ukraine’s air force, air raid alerts in Kyiv lasted more than four hours.

“After returning home from shelters, keep your windows shut — there’s heavy smoke,” Tkachenko advised.

The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear.

There was no comment from Moscow about the attack that came a day after Russia launched a single-night record number of drones.

After U.S. President Donald Trump pledged earlier this week to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv, Washington was already delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ summit in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, according to statements from both the U.S. and Russian foreign ministries.

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