Russia struck Kyiv and Boryspil, its main airport hub, with ballistics Ukraine can’t stop without US Patriots, days before Independence Day

On the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day, Russia launched ballistic missile strikes against the capital Kyiv and the country's main airport, Boryspil, on August 22. The attacks resulted in the deaths of at least two civilians and injured eight others, including a child. The Boryspil International Airport, Ukraine's largest passenger hub, sustained significant damage during the daylight strike, with multiple civilian structures and vehicles destroyed.

The Ukrainian military, primarily relying on US-made Patriot systems, struggled to intercept the missiles due to a halt in US deliveries and limited interception capabilities. Russian missile launches originated from three different directions – Kursk, Bryansk, and Millerovo. During the same strike, Ukraine attempted to destroy Russian ballistic launchers on Russian soil, but Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, blocked the use of Starlink technology to guide strikes on those launchers.

A railway worker was killed in Kyiv's Darnytsia area when a missile hit a railway enterprise, just as Russian missiles targeted the city. One foreman was killed on the spot, and the remaining workers were evacuated after the initial attack. Days before the national holiday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) urged citizens to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing sensitive information related to military installations, infrastructure, or military activities to avoid becoming targets of Russian special services.