Massive Russian aerial strike on Kyiv killed at least 20, injured nearly 90

In one of the most intense assaults on Ukraine’s capital since the start of the full-scale war, Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Kyiv using waves of missiles and drones. Ukrainian officials reported at least 20 people killed and nearly 90 injured, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue in collapsed residential buildings.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia fired a record 28 ballistic missiles during the attack — the highest number used in a single strike on Kyiv to date. In total, Moscow unleashed dozens of missiles and hundreds of long-range attack drones, with the majority targeting the capital. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted many of the threats, but strikes still caused widespread damage across all districts of the city, including residential buildings, a hotel, an ambulance station, and energy infrastructure.

The assault came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing another large-scale bombardment. Kyiv residents spent much of the night in bomb shelters as explosions rocked the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko described it as one of the most massive attacks of the war on the capital and declared July 3 a Day of Mourning.

A total of 52,500 people, including nearly 4,500 children, took shelter in Kyiv Metro stations during Russia's combined missile and drone attack on Kyiv on the night of July 1-2, the Kyiv City State Administration said.

According to city authorities, it was the highest number of people to seek shelter in the metro during a nighttime air raid in recent years.

"During the large-scale attack on the capital on the night of 1-2 July, 52,500 people, including nearly 4,500 children, sheltered at Kyiv metro stations. According to Kyiv Metro, this is the highest number of people taking shelter in the metro during a nighttime air raid in recent years."

The attack underscores Russia’s continued strategy of targeting civilian areas and infrastructure in an attempt to break Ukrainian morale. As rescue efforts continue and the full extent of the damage is assessed, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing brutality of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Kyiv has declared 3 July a Day of Mourning for those who were killed in Russia's attack on the capital on the night of 1-2 July. This attack killed at least 13 people.

Ukraine strikes major Russian oil refinery, railway bridge in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast

Ukraine carried out overnight long-range strikes on one of Russia's largest oil refineries and multiple military targets in Russian-occupied territories on July 2, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

According to the General Staff, Ukrainian forces struck the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery in the city of Kstovo, one of Russia's largest oil refineries and its second-largest gasoline producer. The facility processes around 17 million metric tons of crude oil annually and produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, lubricants, and other petroleum products, including fuel used by the Russian military.

The General Staff said the strike sparked a fire and damaged the refinery's AVT-6 primary crude oil processing unit. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Gleb Nikitin said Russian air defenses had been repelling Ukrainian drone attacks overnight and claimed 30 aerial targets were destroyed. He also reported that one person was killed.

Ukraine also targeted military infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories, according to the General Staff.

Ukrainian forces struck a railway bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River near the occupied town of Stanytsia Luhanska, which Russia uses to transport troops, weapons, and military equipment.

The General Staff also reported strikes on a Russian command and observation post near Vilshana in occupied Kharkiv Oblast and a Russian drone warehouse near Kamianka in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Ukraine will allow weapons exports for the first time since the start of the full-scale war

Ukraine's government has approved what it described as the country's first transparent mechanism for weapons exports, a move aimed at helping domestic defense manufacturers expand production while ensuring the needs of Ukraine's military remain the top priority.

"For the first time, a clear procedure has been established that sets uniform rules for the state, manufacturers, and partners," Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on July 1.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has largely prohibited arms exports, despite the rapid growth of its defense industry. Ukrainian manufacturers now produce more weapons and military technology than the government can afford to purchase, leading industry representatives to call for exports to help companies remain financially viable and attract investment.

According to Fedorov, the new mechanism is designed to allow Ukrainian defense companies to work with international partners under clear regulations, expand production capacity, and secure new investment, while continuing to prioritize supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Under the new rules, exports of weapons and military technology will be restricted to countries participating in the Drone Deal, a Ukrainian government initiative that currently includes 27 partner countries, among them 15 NATO members.