Russia Bombards Ukraine in Response to Strikes
The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, was blasted by waves of ballistic missiles and drones until the morning of Thursday, July 2nd, 2026. Russian President Vladimir V. Putin sent the Russian military and their missiles to get back at Ukraine for their previous attacks on Russia.
Several apartment buildings were partially destroyed, trapping an unknown number of people underneath. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said more than 30 locations in Kyiv were where hit or damaged by the attack.
As both Russia and Ukraine continue to develop new and more powerful weapons, the violence increases. Throughout the war, Russia has bombarded multiple towns and cities in Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian officials, at least 27 people were killed and 85 injured from overnight attacks. Mr. Zelensky recently warned Ukrainians that Russia was preparing for a “massive strike,” urging people to be extra cautious.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said that it is wrong to compare Russia’s continuous bombardments to Ukraine’s strikes.
On social media, Sybiha said, “It is immoral to justify Russian atrocities against Ukrainians by saying that Moscow acts in response to Ukraine’s long-range strikes against Russia…In this war, there is an aggressor and a country defending itself under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter.”
The Ukrainian military targeted Russia’s energy infrastructures, so by destroying or reducing Russia’s oil and gas supply, they are forced to ration their gas. The European Union (EU) proposed to go against anyone supporting the Moscow military defense industry in response to Russia’s attacks.
Kaja Kallas, the top diplomat of the EU said on social media, “Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv… Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that.”
While Moscow believes that it’s military can outlast Kyiv’s forces, Ukraine still trying to force Russia into paying their price for every bit of land they take.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia sent 74 missiles and 476 drones in the attack, essentially targeting the capital city. This included 28 ballistic missiles which could only be detected by Patriot systems.
Ever since the last attack on Ukraine, the country was running low on Patriot interceptors, but the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries have been frequently sending interceptors to Ukraine.
On Thursday, before the sun even rose, explosions boomed all across Kyiv, causing thick, dark smoke to rise. According to local officials, this attack sent over 50,000 people to take cover in subway stations, and tens of thousands to shelter in basements, garages, or other shelters at home.
Many who lived in the Darnytsia district of the city, seeked shelter at an underground garage, waiting out the attack. Some slept in their cars, while others had to sleep on the concrete floor.
Olena Rudenkova, a resident of the district, said, “We could hear the explosions clearly — it wasn’t far away.” She also added, “We could hear the explosions clearly — it wasn’t far away.” Her words show that no one has any spare energy for being scared.
Even with the support from some other countries, Ukraine has not been able to keep up with the strong waves of attacks and continuous development of missiles by Russia.
Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/world/europe/russia-attack-on-kyiv.html