Russian strikes on Kyiv kill nine as missile war enters fourth year

At least nine people were killed and dozens wounded in Russian ballistic missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, Ukrainian officials confirmed today. The BBC and The Independent both report the attacks targeted the capital, with casualty figures varying slightly across outlets as counts continue.

The strikes mark the latest phase in a missile campaign that has intensified since the winter, targeting energy infrastructure and urban centres across Ukraine. Ballistic missiles - faster and harder to intercept than cruise missiles or drones - have become a signature of Russian attacks on cities far from the front line. Kyiv itself has been struck repeatedly, though air defences have limited the damage compared to undefended regional cities.

The war is now in its fourth year. What began as a ground invasion has settled into attritional fighting in the east and a missile war across the rest of the country. The pattern - periodic strikes on the capital, followed by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian logistics and refineries - has become the new normal. Neither side has managed a breakthrough that changes the map in months.

What to watch: whether Western-supplied air defence systems arrive in sufficient numbers to protect more than the capital, and whether Ukraine's own long-range strike capability - still limited by donor restrictions - expands enough to threaten Russian launch sites. The missile arithmetic will decide how long cities remain viable.