Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills 17

Russia has carried out widespread missile strikes on Ukraine's capital Kyiv and its surrounding areas. At least 17 people were killed in the attack early Wednesday. Ukrainian authorities said the strikes also destroyed warehouses and logistics centres of major retail outlets.

According to Reuters, a series of explosions rocked Kyiv from late Tuesday night until early Wednesday morning. Large flames were seen in various parts of the capital after the attack. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified aerial attacks, with missile and drone strikes on Kyiv every few days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said lives had been lost again due to a lack of adequate missile defence systems. He called on the country's allies to urgently supply missile defence systems and necessary interceptors.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 115 drones, 24 ballistic missiles and four Zircon cruise missiles in the attack. While the air defence system was able to shoot down about 90 percent of the drones, none of the ballistic and Zircon missiles could be intercepted.

Kyiv has long been suffering from a shortage of missiles for US-made Patriot air defence systems. This system is Ukraine's primary weapon to intercept Russia's high-speed ballistic missiles. However, as stockpiles have dwindled, the country now faces major challenges in countering recent attacks.