Four days of Russian attacks keep Kyiv under near-constant fire. Ukraine is struggling to defend its skies

Since 27 August, Kyiv and surrounding areas have endured a relentless barrage of Russian attacks, with drones and missiles raining down almost continuously. The ongoing assaults have strained Ukraine's air defense capabilities, leaving civilians struggling to cope with the disruptions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched nearly 2,000 attack drones, over 1,600 guided aerial bombs, and 31 missiles during the past week, including North Korean ballistic weapons.

The barrage follows a pattern of escalating Russian aerial attacks over months. The capital has been targeted repeatedly, with waves of drones arriving throughout the day and night, striking residential buildings, warehouses, businesses, and other civilian infrastructure. Rescue crews and firefighters have had to repeatedly evacuate and return to safety as the threats pass.

At least three people were injured in an overnight attack on Kyiv, marking the start of a fourth consecutive day of sustained Russian attacks. In Myla, an attack on 28 August killed 38 people, injured 20, and left four others missing. Rescue workers continue to clear debris, extinguish fires, and search for explosive remnants. The relentless attacks have also hampered movement within Kyiv, with air raid alerts, damaged infrastructure, and the threat of further strikes causing disruptions to traffic and travel.

Air defenses are under significant pressure, as Ukraine relies on US-made Patriot systems but faces critical gaps in interceptor stocks and delayed deliveries. The use of jet-powered Geran drones adds another layer of difficulty, as Russia has increasingly deployed these faster, more maneuverable drones in attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

The pressure extends beyond Kyiv, with Russian forces carrying out attacks virtually around the clock against frontline and border communities, including Nikopol, Kramatorsk, Kherson, and regions in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Sumy oblasts. In Donetsk Oblast, Russian shelling caused four fires on 30 August, damaging residential areas.

In Sloviansk, Russian shelling set fire to balconies and apartments on the fifth to seventh floors of a nine-story building. Kyiv residents face repeated air raid alerts, disrupted movement, and the constant risk of new strikes while emergency crews continue to clear the aftermath of previous attacks.