Morning opening: Russia strikes Kyiv once again
Jakub Krupa
At least 12 people were killed and 40 injured in a series of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
“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 to civilian infrastructure. There is destruction in Kyiv and the region, as well as in the Odesa and Chernihiv regions,” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The attack will likely draw further attention to Ukraine’s shortage of air defence missiles.
“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 defence, Russia will not consider peace seriously,” Zelenskyy warned this morning.
Pledging with allies to send more Patriot interceptors to help protect Ukraine, he stressed that “every additional missile saves the lives of our people.”
More drone attack warnings from Kyiv were going live this morning.
Responding to the overnight attacks, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning in the city.
I will bring you more updates throughout the day.
It’s Thursday, 20 August 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
Aftermath of Russian strikes on Kyiv – in pictures
We are getting more pictures showing the aftermath of overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv.
Romania destroys marine drone spotted near major offshore gas project
Romania’s military has destroyed a marine drone spotted just “a few hundred meters” from the Neptun Deep platform, a major offshore gas project in the Black Sea.
The drone, spotted just “a few hundreds of meters” from the gas extraction works at the Neptun Deep platform located some 80 miles east of the city of Constanța, was destroyed by a Romanian F-16 fighter jet.
“Following the analyses carried out and in coordination with the President of Romania, in order to protect the lives of the several hundred people working on the platform and to secure the critical infrastructure, the decision was made to destroy the drone,” Romania’s defence minister Radu Miruță said in a post on Facebook.
Miruță added that Romanian officials confirmed with Kyiv that the vessel was “not of Ukrainian origin,” strongly suggesting Russian involvement amid heightened maritime tensions in the region.
Earlier this month, Romanian army divers destroyed two Gerbera-type drones drifting in the country’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone near the same offshore gas project.
Death roll from overnight attacks on Kyiv rises to 15
The death toll from the overnight Russian attack on Kyiv has gone up to 15, Kyiv authorities said.
39 people were injured.
Ukraine faces ‘terror that is only growing’ from Russia, former army chief says
Ukraine’s UK ambassador and former army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi also called for Ukraine to get “not word, but concrete help from partners,” as he warned that country faced “terror that is only growing” from Russia.
In a post on X, he said:
“Civilians were killed again, dozens were injured. Pain, loss and destruction.
Terror that is only growing. Ukraine needs protection. Not words, but concrete help from partners.
Condolences to the families of the deceased. Gratitude to all who protect and save.”
His comments also carry political weight as he remains one of Zelenskyy’s potential main rivals in any future presidential elections in Ukraine.
Russia testing Nato’s resolve with airspace incidents in neighbouring countries, Ukraine’s minister warns
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that Russia violated the airspace of Moldova and Romania during last night’s attacks on Ukraine.
“These are not isolated incidents. They are part of Russia’s deliberate and systemic terrorist attacks. The aggressor state is increasingly testing the resolve of Nato and its partners, violating the sovereignty of neighbouring states and deliberately expanding the risks posed by its war far beyond Ukraine,” he warned.
Sybiha said he would work with his counterparts in both countries “toward a stronger and more effective regional response to Russia’s cynical attempts to widen the war it started.”
“Our collective response must be stronger than Russia’s attempts to test our unity and resolve. The security and stability of the entire region are at stake,” he said.
Dan Sabbagh
in Kyiv
A children’s hospital was struck in the Solomianskyi district to the west of the heart of the capital, with windows blown out and cars burned. At least two residential buildings were also reported hit in the area.
Explosions could be heard from the city centre at about midnight on Wednesday, earlier than the normal timing of Russian missile strikes, and there was a further wave of attacks early on Thursday morning.
An attack in Brovary district of the broader Kyiv region killed one man and wounded another, said the regional governor, Tymur Tkachenko. “One industrial facility has been damaged. All relevant services are on site, working to extinguish the fire,” he said.
Ukraine’s air force had warned of Russian Kalibr cruise missiles passing over the regional village of Kaharlyk and heading towards the capital.
Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant loses external power supply
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Thursday that Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station lost its only remaining external power line, forcing emergency diesel generators to start supplying vital safety systems, Reuters reported.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, said on X that initial assessment indicated the damage was located on the northern bank of the Dnipro River, and technicians were unable to determine the outage’s cause due to military activity.
The plant, Europe’s largest with six reactors, produces no electricity but needs power supplied by two external links to keep nuclear fuel cool, Reuters said.
Ukraine’s air force said that Russia had launched dozens of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles, as well as 168 drones in its overnight attack on the country.
It said that air defence units downed 145 drones and most of the cruise missiles but none of the missiles that run on ballistic trajectory, Reuters said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has for month been pushing for more anti-ballistic missiles to be delivered to Ukraine.
18 people hospitalised after overnight attacks on Kyiv
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 people have been hospitalised after the overnight attacks, with emergency and clean-up response continuing at various sites across three districts of the city.
“The capital is recovering from a massive enemy attack,” he said in a video on Telegram.
“Residential and non-residential buildings, a school, and a children’s hospital were damaged,” he added.
The intensity of overnight strikes on Ukraine prompted Polish authorities to send emergency alerts to residents in two border regions.
“A massive air attack is underway in western Ukraine. Follow the alerts,” read the notification sent to mobile phones just after 4am.
The alert was called off about 90 minutes later.
Poland’s military command also said it had mobilised aircraft and activated air defences aimed at protecting its airspace in areas bordering Ukraine.
Morning opening: Russia strikes Kyiv once again
Jakub Krupa
At least 12 people were killed and 40 injured in a series of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
“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 to civilian infrastructure. There is destruction in Kyiv and the region, as well as in the Odesa and Chernihiv regions,” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The attack will likely draw further attention to Ukraine’s shortage of air defence missiles.
“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 defence, Russia will not consider peace seriously,” Zelenskyy warned this morning.
Pledging with allies to send more Patriot interceptors to help protect Ukraine, he stressed that “every additional missile saves the lives of our people.”
More drone attack warnings from Kyiv were going live this morning.
Responding to the overnight attacks, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning in the city.
I will bring you more updates throughout the day.
It’s Thursday, 20 August 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
