Russian ballistic missile attack in Kyiv leaves 9 dead

In a previous statement, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Vitali Klitschko, had released "preliminary information" according to which three people had died. Soon afterwards, the military administration in Kiev revised the death toll to four.

The number of injured in the previous assessment was also 15 and has now risen to 23, including at least two minors, according to Klitschko in the first assessment, who cited medical services and asked residents to remain in shelters.

According to the Kiev military administration, "after the attack, a fire broke out in a six-story building in Kiev's Solomiansky district."

"The threat of the use of ballistic missiles remains high. We ask everyone to remain in shelters until the air alert is lifted," the official added.

The night before, eight people were killed, including six members of the same family, near Kryvyi Rih. Two other people died in bombings in Kiev and Poltava.

In recent weeks, Russia has intensified attacks with ballistic missiles, which only a few systems, such as the North American Patriot, are capable of intercepting.

The shortage of PAC-3 interceptor missiles needed for these systems has worsened since the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February. Ukraine, however, hopes to be able to produce them on its territory after receiving approval from Donald Trump in early July.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House earlier this week to discuss the matter. This Friday, however, when commenting on his counterpart's intentions, Trump stated that "I would like to have Patriot missiles and I would like to have Tomahawk missiles", before adding that nothing had been decided.

"These weapons are incredible. We have to be very careful before we allow anyone to produce them," Trump said, assuring: "We have not yet given our consent. We are discussing the matter."

The previous day, the American president had told the Financial Times that he was "not sure" whether he would give Kiev the "green light" to produce interceptors, the only ones capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles.