On the night of Thursday, July 16, Russia attacked Ukraine with a massive combined strike: 8 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 4 Kh-22/32 cruise missiles, one Kh-31P anti-radiation missile, 5 Lancet loitering munitions, and 146 attack drones. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, air defense neutralized 3 ballistic missiles and 129 drones. Five ballistic missiles reached their targets.
Darnytskyy and Sviatoshin: What and Where
The consequences were recorded in two districts of the capital. In Darnytskyy district, missile debris fell on a non-residential area — later another hit on a non-residential building was confirmed. Two people died here, and several others were injured. In Sviatoshin district, a missile hit warehouse facilities, where a large-scale fire broke out.
According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, a total of six residents of the capital were injured.
Including a 16-year-old boy. Three of the injured were hospitalized by medics.
— Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv Mayor
DSNS rescuers confirmed both deaths and fires — in an administrative and warehouse building and in parked cargo vehicles next to it.
Three Out of Eight Intercepted: Context Matters
Tonight's air defense result is ambiguous against the backdrop of previous days. On July 11, Ukrainian air defense did not intercept any of six Iskander-M ballistic missiles. On July 14 — it destroyed five out of eight; aviation expert Bohdan Dolinets linked this to the use of PAC-3 missiles. On the night of the 16th, three were shot down — meaning the supply of interceptors was either distributed across a wider front or simply ran out.
Zelensky — to Allies Before Ankara
President Volodymyr Zelensky responded directly:
Our soldiers showed good results in shooting down drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately not against Russian ballistics. And the reason is precisely the insufficient supply of air defense interceptor missiles. As long as Patriot missiles remain in the warehouses of our allies, it only encourages Russia.
— Volodymyr Zelensky
The statement came on the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara — and is a direct demand, not a diplomatic hint. Zelensky separately appealed to the United States and European partners, calling on them to make concrete decisions at the summit to strengthen Ukrainian airspace.
If PAC-3 missile supplies do not accelerate after Ankara, Kyiv will likely face new strikes with the same arithmetic: a few intercepted — the rest on target.
