KYIV, Ukraine: At least 21 people were killed and 77 injured in two missile and drone attacks in the capital city, Kyiv, and the wider Kyiv region on July 6.

Fifteen people were killed in Kyiv, which was the main target of Russia's attack, and 56 others were injured, according to city official Tymur Tkachenko. Another six were killed and 21 injured in the wider Kyiv region, according to regional head Mykola Kalashnyk and other emergency officials.

Rescue workers searched through the wreckage of tall residential buildings in two areas that were directly hit, looking for survivors.

According to Russia's Defense Ministry, Moscow has increased its attacks on Kyiv in response to Ukraine's recent long-range strikes. These Ukrainian strikes have caused serious fuel shortages in Russia and increased pressure on President Vladimir Putin.

On July 2, a Russian attack killed 31 people in Kyiv, making it the deadliest strike on the capital this year.

Experts and Western officials say Ukraine has recently gained an advantage with its drone technology. It has used drones to hit supply routes behind the front lines, slowing down Russian forces and reducing their progress on the battlefield.

However, Russia is now exploiting weaknesses in Ukraine's air defense system. Ukraine depends heavily on Patriot missile systems to stop ballistic missiles, which are otherwise very difficult to shoot down. At the same time, the war in the Middle East has reduced the global supply of Patriot interceptor missiles, creating a shortage that Ukraine is now facing.

Ukraine's air force said that overnight, Russia launched 351 drones and 68 missiles, mainly targeting Kyiv. All 29 ballistic missiles hit their intended targets.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on national television that Ukraine needs the right systems to intercept ballistic missiles. He added that Russia is clearly taking advantage of the serious shortage of interceptor missiles both in Ukraine and worldwide.

Before the NATO summit in Turkey, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces have been effective against drones and cruise missiles but not against ballistic missiles. He blamed this on a lack of interceptor missiles and called on the United States and European countries to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses and help protect civilians.

After the attack, Zelenskyy said on X that as long as Patriot missiles remain in allied stockpiles, Russia will feel encouraged to keep destroying residential buildings. He added that the United States and Europe have enough power to stop these attacks.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted weapons factories in Kyiv, including facilities that produce drones, armored vehicles, and missiles, as well as sites that repair air defense systems and support fuel and energy infrastructure in the capital and nearby areas. These claims could not be independently confirmed.

Despite such claims, Russian attacks have often hit civilian areas. According to the United Nations, more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the war began.

"These are residential buildings where people were sleeping and living normal lives," Tkachenko said in a message on Telegram.

He added that a residential building in the Podilskyi district partially collapsed. In the Darnytsia district, several multistorey buildings were damaged, and some people were believed to be trapped under the rubble.

In the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve, around 600 residents were evacuated because of the risk of unexploded weapons, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service.

Khrystyna Piatetska, a 20-year-old resident of the Darnytskyi district in Kyiv, said she started screaming after the first explosion. A second blast followed, breaking the windows in her apartment building.

She said the power went out, the air smelled of burning, and the stairwell filled with thick smoke.

"When we were leaving the building, bodies were lying there," she said. "When we got downstairs, cars started exploding, and we came out from under the rubble straight into the fire."