Russian drone and missile attacks killed four people, including a child, in Kyiv and the surrounding region on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said, as Ukraine carried out another strike on a Russian oil facility.
The attacks came as Ukraine’s air defenses struggle to cope with frequent Russian drone and missile barrages amid Moscow’s nearly four-year-old full-scale invasion.
Grandparents, grandson killed
Two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson were killed when several Russian drones destroyed their home in the Brovary district of the Kyiv region, northeast of the capital, authorities said.
Three other members of the family and a neighbor who came to help were hospitalized.
The attack reduced the house to rubble and damaged nearby buildings and vehicles.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least one more person was killed in an attack involving six ballistic missiles that struck civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine’s air force said it shot down or intercepted 135 of 151 Russian drones launched overnight. The attack also involved six ballistic missiles and other guided missiles.
Russia says its forces target only military facilities, but Ukrainian officials say civilian areas have repeatedly come under attack.
Ukraine is facing a serious shortage of interceptors for its US-made Patriot air defense systems, which are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Western countries, particularly the United States, to provide more Patriot ammunition. He has also called for Ukraine to be allowed to produce the interceptors domestically.
Following Saturday’s attacks, Zelenskyy called on X for tougher sanctions to restrict production of Russian ballistic missiles and for more air defense and interceptor missiles.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Friday that its air defenses destroyed around 5,300 Russian drones and missiles last month, accounting for just under 60% of about 9,000 such weapons launched by Russia.
Ukraine strikes Russian oil facility
In Russia, five people were injured when a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the southern Krasnodar region after debris from a downed drone fell on the facility, local officials said.
Ukraine has carried out near-daily long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian oil facilities using domestically produced weapons.
The strikes have disrupted fuel supplies in Russia and created growing pressure on the Kremlin.
Zelenskyy visits Serbia
The latest attacks came hours after Zelenskyy arrived in Serbia on Friday for his first official visit to the country.
Serbia is among the few European countries that have maintained close relations with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said important talks were scheduled during his visit and that he would meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Djuro Macut.
The discussions will focus on strengthening economic ties, relations with the European Union and security issues, he said.