Firefighters battle a blaze at a warehouse following Russian airstrikes on Kyiv, Ukraine, August 21, 2026 (Reuters)
Wednesday’s Coverage: Ex-Defense Minister Fedorov — Zelensky Should Hold Elections
UPDATE 0714 GMT:
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on Russia’s overnight assault on and near Kyiv:
Unfortunately, while Moscow is investing in ballistic missiles and escalation, such strikes do not always receive the response they should from the world. And as long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistic defense, Russia will not consider peace seriously.
Emergency crews have been working at the sites of Russian strikes since overnight. It was a massive attack – the Russians had been preparing for a long time, combining different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, aiming to cause as much damage as possible… pic.twitter.com/zvOkAwgNlf
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 20, 2026
UPDATE 0709 GMT:
Ukraine struck an oil refinery in the Tatarstan Republic and an oil terminal in Krasnodar Krai in overnight drone attacks inside Russia.
Photos and videos showed the strikes on the TANECO oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan. NASA’s FIRMS satellite monitoring system detected a fire at the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in Krasnodar.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: At least 12 civilians have been murdered and at least 32 injured by Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight.
Explosions began in several parts of the city just after midnight. A second set of attacks was carried out at 6:17 a.m. The all-clear only sounded at 8:36 a.m.
Emergency services are still working at the scene. Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday as a day of mourning.
At least 12 sites were struck. A children’s hospital, an educational institution, high-rise residential buildings, and several warehouses were damaged.
In the suburb of Brovary, one man was killed and another man injured. An industrial facility was damaged.
