KYIV — Russian missile and drone strikes hit Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine early on Thursday, killing at least two people in the capital, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aimed at reaffirming long-term British support for Ukraine despite Starmer's imminent departure from office.
Ukrainian officials said ballistic missiles struck multiple districts of Kyiv, igniting fires in warehouses and damaging civilian infrastructure. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the city's military administration said at least two people were killed and several others were injured, including a teenager. Emergency crews responded to blazes at industrial and storage facilities while air raid alerts were later lifted.
The latest attack formed part of a broader escalation in hostilities. Russia said it had carried out strikes against what it described as military and industrial targets in Ukraine, while attacks also affected Black Sea port areas critical to Ukraine's grain exports. Ukrainian authorities said civilian areas and port infrastructure sustained damage. Independent verification of all battlefield claims was not immediately possible.
Starmer's visit, his final overseas trip before leaving office, proceeded despite the overnight attacks. According to the British government, he was due to meet Zelenskyy to discuss military assistance, European security cooperation and long-term support for Ukraine.
In a statement released by Downing Street, Starmer said Britain had helped lay "the foundations of its long-term security and success" and pledged that the United Kingdom's "cast-iron support for Ukraine will always endure," regardless of the change in government.
The visit follows a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris earlier this week, where Britain announced participation in a major European support package for Ukraine and backed new initiatives to strengthen the country's air defence and defence industry.
Starmer's arrival also came amid political developments in Kyiv after Zelenskyy dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a wider government reshuffle, a move that drew criticism from some domestic political figures and civil society groups. Ukrainian officials have not linked the personnel changes to the latest Russian attacks.
Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks, extending beyond the battlefield to maritime targets in the Black Sea and disrupting shipping and grain exports. Both sides have reported strikes on military and logistical assets, while independent verification of many claims remains difficult because of the ongoing conflict.
