Russia Missile Strike on Kyiv Kills 3 as Ukraine Names New Defense Minister

Russia launched a large-scale ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, killing at least 3 people and wounding 20, according to local authorities. The incident comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky faces a wave of domestic political unrest.

According to the Kyiv Independent, multiple explosions were heard in several districts of Kyiv just after midnight on August 20, shaking buildings and triggering car alarms. The attacks targeted the Sviatoshynskyi, Solomianskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi districts.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that in the Solomianskyi district, a nine-story residential building collapsed and caught fire following the strike. A children's hospital in the same district was also damaged, with shattered windows and multiple cars burning in the compound.

Klitschko added that "people are trapped" in another residential building and reported power outages in parts of the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts. "Three people have been killed in the capital," he wrote, noting that 20 others were injured, including 14 who required hospitalization.

Ukraine's Air Force warned of incoming ballistic missiles, including Russia's Zircon missiles launched from the Kursk region. Mayor Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters as missiles continued to approach.

New Defense Minister

The attack came a day after Ukraine's parliament approved Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister. Lawmakers voted 312-2 in favor of the appointment, far exceeding the required 226 votes.

Khmara is a professional intelligence officer who has held various positions within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). He previously led the Alpha special operations unit, which is believed to have been involved in Operation Spiderweb, a drone attack deep into Russian territory last year.

Speaking to parliament ahead of the vote, Khmara pledged "to do everything to protect Ukraine, minimize Russia's war potential, and force the enemy to accept a just peace." President Zelensky called the confirmation a sign that "Ukraine needs more strength. And it will get it."

However, not everyone was convinced. Opposition lawmaker Solomiia Bobrovska argued that removing Khmara from intelligence work was "a mistake," though she still praised him personally.

Khmara's appointment fills the vacancy left after former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed in July following a public disagreement with Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii, who was also replaced a few weeks later due to public pressure.

Tensions continued to spread when, a day before Khmara's confirmation, Fedorov posted a video calling for Ukraine to move toward holding elections, which are currently suspended under wartime law. He argued that the country faces a "systemic governance crisis."

The political fallout spilled onto the streets on August 20 as protesters gathered in Kyiv to support Fedorov's call. "I came here because I want to see dialogue between the government and the people, between all of us," one protester told Al Jazeera.

Others said they supported the idea of renewing the country's leadership but expressed skepticism about the possibility of holding a real vote while the war continues. Ukrainian law currently bans elections during wartime, and no major political figure has publicly opposed this since Russia launched its full-scale military campaign in 2022.

President Zelensky's term officially ended in May 2024, but the country has postponed presidential elections due to the ongoing martial law.