Russian strikes on Kyiv kill two on Putin's birthday as Zelenskiy warns 'massive attack' is coming

From the Newshound archive · first published 7 October 2026.

Overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv killed two people on Vladimir Putin's birthday, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that Ukrainian intelligence had confirmed Russia was preparing a far larger assault. Zelenskiy said his air force was ready to respond "to the extent permitted by our available means of defence" and urged allies — above all the United States — to supply the defensive weaponry Ukraine needs. The strikes came as Ukraine had itself launched nearly 900 drones at Russian territory overnight, with unconfirmed reports of a major fuel depot ablaze in the Moscow region.

Zelenskiy warned that Ukraine's ability to withstand the coming attack depends critically on political will in Washington and Europe to provide more weapons.

Russia's air defences claimed to have intercepted the bulk of Ukraine's nearly 900 drones over multiple regions, Crimea and the Sea of Azov.

Romania also reported two dead after a ship fire it attributed to Russian drone strikes, widening the conflict's reach beyond Ukrainian borders.