Explosions were reported over the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, July 29th, 2026. Both Reuters and AFP cited eyewitnesses who heard the explosions. The city's mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, confirmed that Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles, urging residents to seek shelter. He added that several non-residential sites in Kyiv caught fire.

The Kyiv city military administration reported on Telegram that at least one person was killed in the airstrike.

These events followed warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who stated there was a "high probability that the strike will be carried out tonight." Zelenskyy cited a report from Air Force Commander Anatolii Kryvonozhko, saying, "The Russians prepared a massive attack several days ago."

In response to the strikes on Ukraine, the Polish Armed Forces announced on X that they scrambled fighter jets to protect Polish airspace. They stated, "Fighter aircraft and an early warning aircraft have begun operations while ground-based air defense systems and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a state of readiness," describing these measures as preventive.

Zelenskyy's warnings came shortly after a trip to the United States, where he said President Donald Trump agreed to provide Ukraine licenses for Patriot missiles.

Sources