Kathmandu— Russia launched a wave of missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and its surrounding region early Wednesday morning, resulting in at least 15 deaths and dozens of injuries. The strikes began after midnight with air raid sirens sounding across the city for more than an hour as Ukraine's air force warned about incoming ballistic missiles.

Impact on Kyiv

Kyiv's military administration reported that seven sites in the capital were hit, damaging residential buildings and warehouses. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that a warehouse near the city center was destroyed, with rescue teams working to pull survivors from the debris. "There may still be people under the rubble," he wrote on Telegram. The attack also caused an ammonia leak, which emergency crews worked to contain.

Escalating Tensions

Russia has intensified its strikes on Kyiv in recent weeks. On Saturday, Russian attacks killed 10 people and wounded more than 30. In response, Ukrainian drones sank a Russian ship in the Black Sea. Both sides have increased long-range strikes; Russia used more than twice as many missiles in July compared to previous months, according to an analysis by AFP news agency.

Ukraine's Defense Needs

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested more Patriot missile interceptors from allies, arguing that the lack of these defenses encourages Russian attacks. He met with US President Donald Trump to lobby for licenses to build Patriot systems inside Ukraine. The UN human rights monitors have expressed concern over increased civilian deaths in the war.

(With inputs from DW)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.