Day of mourning in Kyiv after Russian missile and drone attack kills at least 30
Separately, a Russian drone attack on a house in the northern Sumy region killed four people overnight on Friday, including a woman and her toddler daughter, the Prosecutor General's Office says
Reuters
Published 03.07.26, 05:35 PM
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Iryna Plekhova, 42, resident who survived yesterday's Russian missile and drone attack, examines her remaining personal belongings in the burned down apartment, which was damaged during the strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 3, 2026.(All images by Reuters)
Rescuers cleared the rubble in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday in a search for survivors, as flags were lowered to half mast to mark a day of mourning, a day after a Russian missile and drone attack killed at least 30 people.
The attack - the deadliest Russian strike on Ukraine's capital this year - also injured 92 people, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Friday.
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A National Guard of Ukraine serviceman stands at the site of damaged residential building, which was hit during yesterday’s Russian missile and drone attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 3, 2026.
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Iryna Plekhova, 42, resident who survived yesterday's Russian missile and drone attack, carries her remaining personal belongings and partially damaged Ukrainian coat of arms, the tryzub, carved out of wood by her father-in-law, in the burned down apartment, which was damaged during the strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 3, 2026.
The parents of a 10-year-old boy, who was hospitalised after the attack, as well as a 15-year-old girl were still unaccounted for, he said.
Separately, a Russian drone attack on a house in the northern Sumy region killed four people overnight on Friday, including a woman and her toddler daughter, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
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A boy rides an electric scooter near damaged residential building, which was hit during yesterday’s Russian missile and drone attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 3, 2026.
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A woman reacts as she picks up her personal belonging from a damaged residential building, which was hit during yesterday’s Russian missile and drone attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 3, 2026.
Day of mourning in Kyiv
Klitschko announced a day of mourning in Kyiv for Friday. Rescue operations were continuing for a second day, he said, as forensic experts worked to identify body parts.
In recent months, Ukraine has slowed Russian advances to a crawl on the 1,200-km front line, and has retaken territory in some areas.
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A woman cleans up near a damaged residential building, which was hit during yesterday’s Russian missile and drone attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 3, 2026.
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A woman passes by a damaged residential building, which was hit during yesterday’s Russian missile and drone attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 3, 2026.
"Russia has no argument left for its war other than its ballistic missiles," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his evening address on Thursday.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin still intends to 'vanquish' residential buildings rather than end this war."
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walks with Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as he visits the site of an apartment building damaged during overnight Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 2, 2026.
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Rescuers prepare to carry the body of a killed person found under debris of an apartment building damaged during overnight Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 2, 2026.
The scale and spread of destruction across the breadth of the capital had little precedent even in a war now in its fifth year. Zelenskiy said more than 100 residential buildings had been damaged.
Moscow said the attacks were retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia.
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Iryna Plekhova, 42, resident who survived yesterday's Russian missile and drone attack, examines her remaining personal belongings in the burned down apartment, which was damaged during the strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 3, 2026.
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Iryna Plekhova, 42, resident who survived yesterday's Russian missile and drone attack, poses for a photo, while holding one of the remaining books from her private collection, in her burned down apartment, which was damaged during the strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 3, 2026.
After years of enduring long-range attacks from Russia, Ukraine has intensified its own strikes deep into Russian territory, mainly on energy targets. That has triggered a fuel crisis in Russia, forcing the world's third-biggest oil producer to import gasoline.
Russia has responded with a stepped-up air campaign against Ukrainian cities, last month hitting a 1,000-year-old Kyiv cathedral foundational to the Orthodox faith in both countries.