Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine for hours, killing at least 18 people

War in UkraineRussian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine for hours, killing at least 18 peopleThe Kremlin's most intense attack of the year, including a drone slamming into a Kyiv residential building, comes as Ukraine fears the Iran war is leaving it short of critical air defense munitions.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A firefighter works to extinguish a blaze at a recycling materials site following a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday.Serhii Okunev / AFP via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 16, 2026, 5:45 AM EDT / Updated April 16, 2026, 6:03 AM EDTBy Daryna Mayer and Yuliya TalmazanKYIV, Ukraine — Russia unleashed a barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight, killing at least 18 people in its most intense attack of the year.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The hourslong bombardment follows a short Easter ceasefire,with peace talks to end the war at a standstill as the United States focuses on the Iran war. Kyiv fears that conflict is leaving it short of the air defense munitions it needs to stop Russian missiles, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spending the week touring allies and pleading for help protecting the country's skies. Black smoke billowed into the night sky of the Ukrainian capital, the morning revealing charred cars and piles of debris scattered next to damaged buildings.Add NBC News to GoogleUkrainian president says robots captured territory from Russian soldiers03:03Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 4 people were killed in strikes on the capital, including a 12-year-old boy, while 45 other people were hurt. A drone crashed directly into an 18-storey residential building in the west of the capital, Klitschko said, as he also reported rocket debris falling in other districts.Olena Kapustian, a 41‑year‑old Kyiv resident who survived that drone hit with her son, told Reuters the blast left her shaken....