A predawn barrage of Russian ballistic missiles slammed into Kyiv on Saturday, killing at least nine people and wounding 28 others, including four children, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The attack, which triggered more than a dozen explosions across the capital, left a residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district partially collapsed, with residents trapped inside as fires spread. Main Developments Saturday's strike marks the second major attack on Kyiv within a week, underscoring the heightened threat from ballistic missiles that are difficult to intercept. Witnesses reported more than a dozen explosions that echoed across the city, while fires broke out in multiple locations and some areas experienced power outages. The first and second floors of the damaged residential building partially collapsed, Klitschko said, complicating rescue efforts. Warehouses were also reported to be on fire, adding to the scale of the emergency response. Read also: 5 key facts about the F-35B crash near Miramar Two days earlier, a suspected Russian cruise missile landed in Poland during a large-scale attack on Ukraine that killed nine people, including six members of one family in a village near Kryvyi Rih. That incident heightened concerns about the conflict's potential to spill beyond Ukraine's borders. Background Russia has escalated its use of ballistic missiles against Ukrainian cities in recent months, a tactic that has strained Kyiv's air defenses. Ukraine currently faces a shortage of Patriot interceptor munitions, which are considered critical for countering such high-speed threats. In response, Ukraine has intensified its own attacks on Russian territory, particularly targeting oil depots, as part of a strategy to disrupt supply lines and infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged allies to provide more military aid. A key point of contention has been Ukraine's request for a license to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles. On Friday, US President Donald Trump said talks were ongoing but that Washington had not yet agreed to the proposal. He cautioned that the technology is sensitive, adding, 'You have to be very judicious, but you have to be very careful.' Why It Matters Saturday's strike underscores the vulnerability of Ukrainian cities to ballistic missile attacks, which can overwhelm existing defenses. The lack of Patriot interceptors means Kyiv faces difficult choices about which targets to protect, potentially leaving critical infrastructure and residential areas exposed. The stalled license negotiations highlight a broader tension between supporting Ukraine and protecting sensitive US technology. Trump's remarks about the risk of technology transfer reflect a cautious approach that could delay Ukraine's ability to bolster its own defenses. With the conflict showing no signs of abating, the human toll continues to mount. Saturday's attack, coming so soon after the deadly strike near Kryvyi Rih, demonstrates the persistent threat to civilians and the urgent need for effective air defense solutions. What's Next Rescue operations in the Shevchenkivskyi district are ongoing, with the death toll potentially rising as emergency crews search through the rubble. Ukrainian authorities will likely continue to press allies for immediate deliveries of Patriot systems and munitions. The fate of the Patriot manufacturing license remains unresolved. Further negotiations between Kyiv and Washington are expected, though Trump's cautious stance suggests a deal is not imminent. In the meantime, Ukraine is likely to sustain its counterattacks on Russian oil infrastructure, while Russia may continue its missile campaign against Ukrainian cities.