A building in Kyiv is on fire after Russian attacks. Image: keystone
Several cities in Ukraine have become the target of an exceptionally violent wave of attacks with Russian combat drones, rockets and cruise missiles.
Jul 2, 2026, 3:01 amJul 2, 2026, 3:01 am
Explosions and injuries were reported in the capital Kiev in the evening and night. Multi-story buildings – including a hotel – burst into flames and residential buildings were completely destroyed, the news portal reported “The Kyiv Independent”. Accordingly, the attackers used dozens of rockets and cruise missiles.
The exact extent of the damage was initially unclear and the initial information could not be independently verified. The Kyiv Independent report spoke of one of the most violent waves of attacks since the beginning of the war. Frightened residents of Kiev sought refuge in subway stations. Many of them had pitched tents there to spend the night underground, protected from air raids, it was said.
“Incredibly loud explosions”
After the first impacts in the evening, an air alarm was triggered again early in the morning. It was said that almost a dozen Russian bombers were in the air. Shortly afterwards, reporters from the portal reported “incredibly loud explosions” that could be clearly heard even in air raid shelters deep underground.
There were also reports of air raids and explosions in other cities in Ukraine – including Zaporizhzhia and Pavlohrad in the southeast and Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast of the country. Information about possible damage and victims was initially not available. (sda/dpa)