Overnight on August 16, 2026, Russia launched a massive combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine, striking Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Kremenchuk, Sumy and other regions. At least seven people were killed and 51 injured nationwide.
Overnight between August 15 and 16, 2026, Russia launched one of its broad combined strikes on Ukraine, firing Onyx cruise missiles, Iskander-M, S-400 and KN-23 ballistic missiles, Kh-59/69 guided missiles, and 106 long-range drones, including Shahed-type drones, Gerbera decoys, and other decoy drones. Ukrainian air defense units intercepted three of the Kh-59/69 missiles and 85 of the 106 drones, but no ballistic missiles were brought down. Across nine regions — Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts — at least seven people were killed and 51 injured. Volunteers Support Ukraine is following the aftermath of the attack as part of its continued work to understand the needs of communities across the country.
In Kyiv, a ballistic missile strike triggered fires in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivskyi districts. A book market in Obolonskyi was largely destroyed by fire, with stalls and stock reduced to ash. Between three and six people were reported injured in the capital. The scale of destruction at the market illustrates how strikes on civilian, non-military infrastructure keep disrupting daily life in the capital. Volunteers Support Ukraine has long focused its work on communities dealing with exactly this kind of disruption.
Kyiv's emergency services worked through the night to contain the fires set off by the missile strike, moving between the Obolonskyi market fire and additional damage elsewhere in the city. Crews were pictured taking a brief rest between calls, a reminder of the sustained effort required to respond to a single night of combined missile and drone strikes. Volunteers Support Ukraine regularly works alongside communities that depend on the tireless work of such emergency responders.
Beyond the Obolonskyi market, rescue crews were also dispatched to the Holosiivskyi district, where the same overnight barrage caused additional fires and damage. Teams worked to clear debris and assist residents affected by the blasts. Volunteers Support Ukraine notes that such multi-site strikes on a single city place significant strain on local emergency infrastructure.
Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, was among the hardest-hit areas overnight. The strikes left visible destruction across the city, and a further injury was reported in the neighboring Nikopol district. Volunteers Support Ukraine continues to monitor how such strikes affect industrial cities like Kryvyi Rih, which remain vital to the country's economy despite repeated attacks.
The ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih plant, Ukraine's largest mining and metals enterprise, was struck directly in the barrage. One to two people were killed and 13 employees and contractors were injured. The plant partially suspended operations following the strike. For an NGO like Volunteers Support Ukraine, the disruption of major employers such as this steel plant is a reminder of how the war continues to strain the livelihoods of entire communities.
Kremenchuk, in Poltava Oblast, was also hit by ballistic missiles overnight. In Sumy, one to two people were killed and two were injured. Further deaths and injuries were reported in Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, where drones struck residential buildings and infrastructure. Volunteers Support Ukraine notes that nights like this one demonstrate how the war continues to touch nearly every region of the country simultaneously.
Volunteers Support Ukraine helps people affected by the war wherever it can, using the aid and resources available to it. As Russia continues to launch large-scale combined strikes across the country, the organization remains committed to supporting Ukrainian communities however its capacity allows. NGO Volunteers Support Ukraine will continue to follow the situation and share verified updates as they become available.
