Kyiv faced a major assault by ballistic missiles early Saturday, resulting in at least three deaths and leaving five residents wounded. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the casualties, noting that several individuals were trapped in a building that suffered a partial collapse. The capital experienced more than a dozen explosions, with authorities issuing urgent warnings for residents to remain in bomb shelters.
This latest attack coincides with diplomatic pressure from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is urging Donald Trump and other US officials to facilitate permission from Elon Musk for the use of the Starlink satellite internet service to guide military strikes inside Russian territory. According to sources familiar with the discussions, Zelenskyy made this request directly to Trump during an Oval Office meeting this week and reiterated his goal to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. While Musk permits Starlink operations across Ukraine, including in occupied regions, he currently restricts its usage within Russia. Trump has not committed to the request.
The tension over military technology extends to air defense systems. During a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump stated that transferring Patriot missile production technology to Ukraine was a difficult decision. Although Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Trump agreed to license the production of these interceptors during their meeting earlier in the week, Trump clarified to reporters that no such agreement had been finalized. He cited security risks, suggesting that giving away such advanced technology could eventually lead to it being turned against the United States.
Domestic unrest also persists in Kyiv, where thousands gathered near the presidential office on Friday to protest the dismissal of former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Despite his reputation for driving wartime military innovation, Fedorov was removed from his post in a surprise mid-July reshuffle. Protesters are demanding his reinstatement, as he has reportedly declined to accept another government position.
Meanwhile, economic and military tensions are escalating in the Black Sea region. The Russian Union of Grain Exporters and Producers warned that Ukrainian drone attacks on ships and ports threaten global food security by potentially halting grain exports, which could drive up prices and impact nations in Africa and the Middle East. Additionally, Tatyana Kim, founder and CEO of the Russian retailer Wildberries, described recent Ukrainian drone strikes on her company's facilities as acts of terrorism, stating that over a dozen sites have been targeted since July 18.
Attack comes as Trump appears to retreat further from commitment to allow Ukraine to manufacture its own Patriot air defense interceptors. What we know on day 1,620
