Ukraine hit by 16 ballistic missiles in overnight strike

Russia attacked Ukraine with 16 ballistic missiles on the night of 26-27 October, according to Zelenskyy. The attack also included 280 drones, and the Pivdennyi (South) Bridge in Kyiv was hit, with 12 people injured. The strike targeted the energy sector, logistics, and urban infrastructure across multiple regions. Zelenskyy blamed the US for delays in delivering interceptor packages for Patriot and NASAMS systems, which he said are helping Russia achieve its objectives in the terrorist campaign.

Zelenskyy reported that 12 people were injured in the attack on the university campus and surrounding area on the evening of October 26, with five of them being students and university staff. The attack occurred while emergency services were dealing with the aftermath of the first strike. The president emphasized the artificial and prolonged delays in the delivery of the interceptor packages for the Patriot and NASAMS systems, which he said have occurred recently.

The Russian strike included Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and 280 Shahed (69 jet-powered) and Gerbera attack drones and Parodiya decoy UAVs. Kyiv was the main target of the attack. By 09:00 on October 27, Ukrainian air defence forces had destroyed or jammed 257 Russian aerial assets, including two Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and 255 Shahed (56 jet-powered), Gerbera and other types of drones. Zelenskyy had announced that Kyiv had been waiting for nearly a month for Pete Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS air defence systems, and instructed his team to discuss the matter with the US side again on October 26.

The attack on October 26 was the latest in a series of escalating strikes by Russia, which have targeted critical infrastructure and urban areas across Ukraine. The delays in the delivery of interceptor packages for the Patriot and NASAMS systems have been a point of contention between Ukraine and the US, with Zelenskyy attributing the ongoing challenges in the air defense campaign to these delays. The strike on Kyiv and other regions has underscored the need for faster delivery of the interceptor packages, which are essential for countering the increasing number of Russian aerial assets launched against Ukraine.

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