Overnight Russian barrage kills nine in Kyiv, as air defense struggle with U.S. continues

Ballistic missiles tore into five districts of the Ukrainian capital before dawn Saturday. President Trump is now walking back a promised boost to Ukraine's missile defense systems.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6242x4157+0+0/resize/6242x4157!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F42%2F714a9d7f4d65bc7a70f4ecc54d14%2Fap26213122498207.jpg' alt='A burned car is seen after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)'/><p>Ballistic missiles tore into five districts of the Ukrainian capital before dawn Saturday. President Trump is now walking back a promised boost to Ukraine's missile defense systems.</p><p>(Image credit: Dan Bashakov)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5916393' />