---
title: "Missile strike on Kyiv and Poltava: what is known about the night attack on June 18"
description: "On the night of June 18, Russia launched a missile strike on Kyiv and Poltava. Explosions were heard in the cities, and residents are urged to stay in shelters. This is a new escalation following the attack on June 15, when 60 missiles were fired at Ukraine 🚀🇺🇦"
date: 2026-06-17T22:46:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/missile-strike-on-kyiv-and-poltava-june-18
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Missile strike on Kyiv and Poltava: what is known about the night attack on June 18

![Firefighter in protective gear stands next to fire truck No. 6 in Kyiv after nighttime missile strike on June 18](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/17/raketnyj-udar-po-kievu-i-poltave-18-iyunya/raketnyj-udar-po-kievu-i-poltave-18-iyunya-1.webp)

On the night of June 18, Ukraine was struck again. Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv and Poltava. As of 1:30 AM, several powerful explosions were heard in the cities.

Official sources confirmed the attack. RBC-Ukraine, citing Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, reported that the capital was hit by ballistic missiles. In his statement, the official urged citizens to remain in safe places until the air raid alarm is lifted.

### Situation in Poltava

Alongside the events in the capital, strikes also hit Poltava. Media outlets recorded six explosions in the regional center. The Ukrainian Air Force reported new missile launches towards the Poltava region at 1:24 AM. Earlier, around 12:30 AM, the military warned of a threat from ballistic missiles coming from the north. Prior to this, a threat of drone attacks was announced in several regions, and the launch of cluster bombs was recorded in Zaporizhzhia.

### Context: massive attack on June 15

These current events are taking place against a backdrop of continuing escalation. Just three days earlier, on the night of June 15, Russia launched a massive terror attack on Kyiv, firing 60 missiles and attack drones at the city.

During that attack, the enemy deliberately struck the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, causing a fire. Numerous fires were recorded in Kyiv: flames engulfed residential buildings (some of which were destroyed), shops, warehouses, non-residential buildings, and cars. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that strike was not accidental and was timed to coincide with the birthday of US President Donald Trump.