Russian Missile Strikes on Kyiv Kill 9 as Ukraine Claims Black Sea Strike on Russian Vessel

At least nine people were killed and 28 others injured on Saturday in Russian ballistic missile strikes targeting the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city was hit by a wave of missile attacks that triggered multiple explosions, caused fires in several areas, and led to power outages in parts of the capital.

Klitschko said a residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district was partially destroyed, leaving several people trapped inside.

Ukraine’s emergency services reported that seven people were killed and 14 others injured, including two children, in the Darnytskyi district. In the Solomianskyi district, authorities said two people were killed and eight others, including two children, were wounded after a five-story residential building was partially damaged.

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said a missile landed near its embassy in Kyiv, damaging windows and scattering debris across the compound.

The attack came as Russia has intensified its missile strikes on Kyiv in recent weeks, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to renew calls for additional air defense capabilities, particularly Patriot interceptor missiles, which are designed to counter ballistic threats.

Ukraine Announces Sinking of Russian Container Ship

In a separate development, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drones targeted and sank the Russian container ship Yanina in the Black Sea.

In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy said the 100,000-ton vessel had been "sent to the bottom," adding that all 17 crew members were forced to abandon the ship.

The vessel is owned by Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom, which said it was carrying civilian cargo, including frozen food products and construction materials.

Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev accused Ukraine of carrying out an act of "piracy and theft."

Russian nuclear industry media reported that the incident occurred about 209 kilometers from Novorossiysk, adding that all crew members were safe.

Ukraine has targeted Russian-flagged vessels in the Black Sea since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, accusing Russia of using some ships to transport sanctioned goods, including oil.

Zelenskyy Presses for Patriot Missile Access

The strike on Kyiv came days after Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump in Washington, where he urged the United States to authorize Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.

Trump said Washington had not approved such a move but confirmed that discussions were continuing. He stressed the need for caution over transferring advanced military technology.

"We have to be very careful about allowing anyone to build them," Trump said, describing access to the technology as "a big step."

He also expressed concerns that countries receiving advanced US military technology could potentially use it against Washington in the future.

Zelenskyy said air defense remains Ukraine’s top priority as Russian aerial attacks continue, particularly systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has expanded its retaliatory strikes in recent months, targeting Russian logistics facilities and infrastructure it says supports military operations.

Kyiv says these attacks are aimed at disrupting supply networks used to provide equipment and resources to Russian forces.