Ukraine intercepts Russian ballistic missiles as Zelenskyy seeks air shield

Kyiv,UPDATED: Jul 14, 2026 18:30 IST

Ukraine said on Tuesday that it intercepted five Russian ballistic missiles in a wave of overnight attacks, marking the first time in almost two weeks that it had reported downing such weapons. Other missiles and drones got through, however, hitting warehouses and a school in Kyiv, as Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange long-range strikes.

The developments came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Paris seeking stronger air defences for Ukraine. He announced that Ukraine was joining nine other countries to form a coalition to build a shared ballistic missile shield for Europe, and said on Monday that Ukraine and its partners could jointly develop a mass-produced, low-cost system within the next 12 months.

Ukraine's air force said ballistic missiles are harder to stop than drones or cruise missiles and have repeatedly hit the country during Moscow's four-year-old full-scale invasion. Ukrainian air defences likely used the US-made Patriot surface-to-air guided missile system, which is seen as the most effective way to counter ballistic missiles, but ammunition for it has been in short supply amid the Iran war.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attack caused fires at two warehouses and damaged a school. Ukraine's air force said one ballistic missile and 25 drones struck 17 locations, while falling debris was reported in 10 locations.

The Russian Defence Ministry said it had targeted military manufacturing facilities that produce long-range missiles and drones. Moscow is seeking to choke off Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities deep inside Russia that have caused critical fuel shortages, frustrating the public and, Western analysts say, hindering the Russian army's advance on the front line.

Ukraine has been trying to strengthen its air defence shield before winter, when much of the country remains vulnerable to Russian missile attacks on the power grid. At the NATO summit last week, President Donald Trump said the US would give Ukraine a licence to make Patriot systems itself. But they are expensive, in high demand and take a long time to produce, meaning it will likely be years before any Ukrainian-made systems are ready for deployment.

In Paris, Zelenskyy attended France's annual Bastille Day celebrations on Tuesday and received an ovation from European leaders. Ukrainian troops drew the loudest cheers from crowds along the Champs Elysees. The parade included about 500 troops from the coalition of the willing, a group of countries that have pledged to help with Ukraine's postwar security. French President Emmanuel Macron called it a great honour to welcome them to the parade.

Ukraine also kept up its long-range attacks on Russian targets, especially oil facilities. Authorities in southern Russia's Krasnodar region said an attack caused a fire at the Afipsky Oil Refinery, which was later put out. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also hit an oil refinery in Salavat in the Bashkortostan region, around 1,400 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Bashkortostan Governor Radiy Khabirov confirmed an attack on an industrial area in Salavat but did not say what had been hit.

Zelenskyy also said the Ukrainian navy had struck four Russian tankers operating as part of Moscow's so-called shadow fleet of ageing tankers with uncertain ownership and safety practices that dodge international oil sanctions, as well as a patrol boat. Separately, Ukraine claimed on Monday that it struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula between July 6 and 13. The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 288 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rebuffed ceasefires offered by Zelenskyy. Summing up Ukraine's position as fighting and long-range strikes continued on both sides, Zelenskyy said on social media: This war must be brought to an end, and all reasonable diplomatic proposals are on the table.

With PTI Inputs

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