Ukraine Strikes Major Russian Oil Refinery Before Kyiv Attack Kills 27
Ukraine strikes a major Russian oil refinery in the hours before Russia launched its massive overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed at least 27 people and injured over 90. Waves of Russian missiles and strike drones pummeled Kyiv overnight on July 2, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing another large-scale attack against Ukraine. [1] At least 27 people have been killed and 91 injured, Kyiv City Military Administration Head Tymur Tkachenko said. [1]
Massive Russian Assault Hits Kyiv
Ukraine's Air Force reported Russia fired 74 missiles and 496 long-range drones in the assault, with 25 ballistic missiles and 12 drones striking 33 locations in Kyiv. [1] Twenty-eight of the missiles fired at Kyiv were ballistic missiles, a record number for a single attack on the capital, Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said on national TV. [1] The attack destroyed or damaged more than 30 sites including residential buildings, an ambulance station, a scientific institute, a hotel, businesses and energy infrastructure, leaving some residents without power or internet. [1] Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attack as the "most massive" of the war on the capital. [1] "It was a terrible night for Kyiv," he said, adding there was "damage in all districts of the city." [1] A Day of Mourning on July 3 has been declared in Kyiv, Klitschko said. [1]
Civilian Impact and Rescue Efforts
The attack also damaged energy infrastructure in Kyiv, leaving some residents without electricity, according to DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company. [1] The attack also disrupted internet service after damaging equipment belonging to major provider Utels, which connects around 500,000 homes and businesses in Kyiv and the Oblast. [1] Kyiv's metro sheltered a record 52,500 people, including nearly 4,500 children, during Russia's overnight attack, the Kyiv Metro said on Telegram. [1] "The moment we stepped out of the underground parking garage, a ballistic missile struck," Hanna Polishchuk, who lives in the residential building next to the one that partially collapsed in the Darnitskyi District, told the Kyiv Independent. [1] "Everyone immediately ran back inside. There was complete panic. There was such an enormous explosion. It felt as though the whole parking garage was about to collapse, like everything around us was falling apart." [1] Search and rescue operations were ongoing at several sites including a partially collapsed multi-story residential building in the Darnitskyi District. [1] The death toll is likely to rise further. [1]
Zelensky's Response and Retaliation Vow
President Zelensky visited strike sites, blamed delayed partner deliveries of air defense systems for additional deaths and vowed that Ukraine would retaliate. [1] Speaking to journalists at the site of a Russian strike in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, Zelensky said Russia's attack exposed Ukraine's continuing shortage of air defense interceptors. [1] "If our partners had delivered what they promised on time, I think we could have saved more homes and, frankly, more lives," he said. [1] Zelensky said Ukraine would need at least 140 Patriot missiles to intercept an attack involving around 70 ballistic missiles, arguing that Kyiv was not asking for additional commitments but for previously agreed military assistance to be delivered. [1] Speaking to journalists afterward, Zelensky said, "Putin is losing this war. That’s what’s happening. He understands that the only thing he can do is intimidate people and simply kill civilians with missile strikes." [1] Ukraine will retaliate for Russian attack on Kyiv, Zelensky said. [3]
Urgent Appeal for Patriot Missiles
Ukraine's Defense Minister appealed to nearly 40 allies for urgent transfer of Patriot missiles from existing stockpiles while contracts for future deliveries are in place. [1] Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has appealed to nearly 40 partner countries to urgently transfer Patriot missiles from their stockpiles in July in exchange for future deliveries already contracted for Ukraine, the Defense Ministry said on July 2. [1] According to the Defense Ministry, Ukraine has already signed contracts for hundreds of PAC-2 Patriot missiles with German support, but deliveries are not expected to begin until the coming years. [1] Kyiv has also taken "a step" toward purchasing around 100 additional Patriot missiles through a 1 billion euro loan backed by the European Union, while European partners have begun transferring missiles from their own stockpiles for the first time this year, according to the ministry. [1] Fedorov also called on partner countries to contribute to the PURL and JUMPSTART initiatives, which the ministry described as the fastest and most reliable mechanisms for supplying Patriot missiles to Ukraine. [1] Zelenskyy after Russian strike calls on US to grant Patriot missile production licences. [4]
Russian Claims and Context
The Russian Defense Ministry described the strikes as retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities and claimed only military or quasi-military targets were hit. [5] Ukraine strikes major Russian oil refinery, railway bridge in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast, General Staff says. [1] The deadly bombardment was in response to Ukraine’s long-range strikes that have caused severe fuel shortages and put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. [5] Ukraine’s increasingly frequent and large-scale attacks — described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as a 40-day blitz — have especially targeted oil refineries, causing a fuel crisis that has frustrated Russians. [5] Later on July 2, despite widespread destruction and civilian casualties, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed Russian forces had targeted only "military or quasi-military targets," adding that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the attack. [1] Russian Armed Forces General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov reported the results of the “massive retaliatory strike” to Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. [5]
Separate Strike on Kherson Hospital
Russian forces have struck a hospital in Kherson, killing a 63-year-old doctor and injuring a nurse. [2] "This afternoon the Russians carried out yet another cynical strike on civilian infrastructure in Kherson, with one of the city's medical facilities coming under fire. As a result of the strike, a fire broke out on the second floor of the hospital's building." [2] A medical worker who continued to carry out their duty until the very end was killed in the attack. A further female medical worker was injured. [2]
What to watch next: Ukraine has taken a step toward purchasing around 100 additional Patriot missiles through a 1 billion euro loan backed by the European Union, while talks with the American administration on Patriot production licences have been ongoing for a long time.
