Russian missile attacks hit Kharkiv and Kyiv as Zelensky questions early warning
Russian missiles have hit Kharkiv and Kyiv, killing and injuring civilians, while a fresh Kyiv strike and a row over US early warning and intelligence sharing dominate the latest coverage.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Russian missile attacks have hit Kharkiv and Kyiv, with fresh strikes on the capital and rescue work continuing in Ukraine's second city.
In Kharkiv, at least nine missile strikes hit the city overnight. One residential block was struck directly, and four floors were destroyed in seconds. Four people were killed in that building. Across the city, over 40 people were injured and many others were feared missing beneath rubble. Survivors described escaping burning buildings and returning to homes that had been destroyed. A woman named Julia said she had left one room seconds before it was hit; the stairwell and much of her apartment were on fire. Another resident, Elena, showed what she had salvaged from her car and said she was safe. Emergency teams worked through the day to find people trapped.
Kyiv was also hit by Russian drones and ballistic missiles, with at least two people killed. A fresh ballistic attack was reported in Kyiv later, as the latest coverage continued. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had been targeted by jet drones and ballistic missiles. He accused Ukraine's partners of failing to relay early warning that five Russian ballistic missiles were incoming. The issue has become political. The US had said it might withdraw intelligence sharing if Ukraine did not halt long-range strikes. President Donald Trump said the US is still sharing intelligence, but he has used the issue as leverage before.
Reports from the ground said civilians were the main victims. Missiles struck homes, trapping people inside and spreading fires. In Kharkiv, at least nine sites were hit; one account described ten missiles as indiscriminate and lethal. People spent the morning clearing belongings from damaged flats while others waited for news of loved ones. The attacks have continued despite talk of an energy ceasefire. Power infrastructure and the rail network have been hit, but the most significant strikes have been on the civilian population. The lack of air defence means some missiles are getting through into civilian areas. The pattern has left residents feeling that nowhere is safe.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 3 channels | |||
| A Russian drone attack hit a high-rise residential block in Kyiv overnight. | Reported by BBC News | Reported by Sky News | |
| Reported by a few · 2 channels | |||
| A strike on a Kharkiv suburb was believed by local people to have been intended for a power station. | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Ballistic missile strikes were reported after midnight without warning, alongside unconfirmed speculation that US intelligence support may have been withdrawn. | Reported by BBC News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Only on one channel | |||
| A fresh ballistic missile attack hit Kyiv shortly before the broadcast. | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Kharkiv was targeted multiple times overnight, with four people killed in a residential tower block and over 40 injured, many missing. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Reports said Ukraine's lack of air defence was allowing missiles into civilian areas and causing harm. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Ukraine's foreign minister said US intelligence support was still reaching Ukraine despite President Trump's threats to cut it off. | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This broadcast introduced the two-night missile barrage and focused on Kharkiv's casualty toll and the lack of air defence. It carried Emma Murphy's first eyewitness account and stressed that civilian areas were being hit, with no sign of an energy ceasefire. The Ukraine story appeared later in the bulletin after UK political and retail cyber attack items.
- “Ukraine has faced a barrage of missiles from Russia over the last two nights.”
- “In Kharkiv, over 40 people were injured and many others were missing.”
- “There seems to be a sense that Russia wants to drive the population out of the cities to put fear into people and the reality is they are succeeding in doing that.”
This bulletin led with a sustained and relentless Russian attack on Kharkiv and gave a detailed eyewitness special report from the city. It emphasised civilian deaths, including four people killed in a residential tower block, and reported that Kyiv had also been hit with at least two killed. The tone was graphic and human-focused, with survivor testimony and a warning that nowhere in Ukraine is safe.
- “ITV news was in the city close to the front line as it was targeted at least nine times overnight.”
- “Four people died in this building in their homes where they had a right to believe they were safe.”
- “No one assumes anywhere is safe anymore and it is not.”
The late bulletin moved the story forward with a fresh ballistic attack on Kyiv and a political row over early warning and US intelligence sharing. It combined Emma Murphy's Kharkiv special report with a live update from Kyiv and framed Russia's assault as deliberately aimed at civilians. It also highlighted that President Trump says intelligence sharing continues, despite Zelensky's complaint.
- “President Zelensky accused Ukraine's partners of not relaying any early warning that five Russian ballistic missiles were incoming.”
- “Yes, just a short time ago there was another ballistic attack here in Kyiv.”
- “President Trump insisted, we are sharing intel.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.