Russia strikes Ukraine as outgoing British leader Keir Starmer heads to Kyiv
Russian missiles hit Kiev early on Thursday and loud explosions were heard in the area. Ukrainian The capital arrives just hours before British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, the attack hit two districts of Kiev and killed two people, including a teenager. It was stated that the strike caused fires in warehouses and nearby vehicles.
The attack took place ahead of Starmer’s visit to Kiev on Thursday, one of his last previous international engagements. it leads for a new prime minister
Starmer and Zelensky are set to discuss progress in the war against Russia, including Britain’s efforts to support Ukraine both militarily and diplomatically.
“I am very proud of the UK’s contribution,” Starmer said in a statement. he said. “This work will continue and our firm support for Ukraine will always remain. Not only for them and the security of Europe, but also for families in Britain who are feeling the cost of this war through rising prices.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before the start of the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France, July 14, 2026. -Tom Nicholson/Reuters
Thursday’s attack also came after Zelensky dismissed Ukrainian defense minister Mykhaylo Fedorov in a government reshuffle. Just a few days earlier, Zelensky had also dismissed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who had served only one year in office.
The change has been controversial, with some critics warning it could cause instability at a critical time in the war, Reuters reported. Fedorov led Ukraine’s war effort, including technological advances that made Kiev a formidable opponent.
In a statement late Wednesday, Fedorov said it was “a great honor” to serve in his post. He praised his team’s accomplishments during his tenure, including strengthening Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicle program and air defenses, significantly increasing his forces’ ability to intercept Russian drones and cruise missiles.
He also announced that Ukraine successfully conducted a ballistic missile test “symbolically on the day the government was established.”
Almost five years after the conflict, the cost has been heavy for both sides. Ukraine’s developed drone campaign It has had extraordinary scale and impact, especially in the last month. Kiev sometimes launches hundreds of drones in a single night, targeting oil refineries, military ships and weapons, demonstrating an increased ability to strike deep into Russian territory.
Some of these attacks targeted Moscow suspend traffic during this week The gateway to the Black Sea, a key waterway that has been inaccessible to Kiev for years, has limited the Kremlin’s ability to trade with the rest of the world.
But Ukraine is feeling the pain too. The United Nations said this week that June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022; the increase was due to long-range Russian missiles fired at urban residential buildings.
Zelensky has repeatedly asked allies to provide more support to strengthen Ukraine’s depleted air defenses; This includes temporary permission for the United States to produce its own Patriot interceptor missiles, the only weapons capable of shooting down some of Russia’s most advanced ballistic missiles.
Making a surprise statement during the NATO summit held in Türkiye last week, US President Donald Trump gave the green light to Ukraine for the construction of Patriots; However, he was vague in his statement and admitted that he had not yet discussed the issue with US system manufacturers.
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