52,500 People Spent the Night in Kyiv’s Metro as Russia Unleashed a New Kind of Attack Designed to Confuse the Defenses

The number tells the story: 52,500 people, including 4,500 children, spent the night in Kyiv's metro — the most in years — as Russia hammered the capital for 11 straight hours. Ukraine downed over 90% of the cruise missiles and drones, but 25 ballistic missiles punched through, striking 33 locations. Analysts say Russia has refined a new method: firing so many different weapon types, from so many directions and altitudes at once, that defenses can't sort the threats. Ukraine is now urgently asking 40 countries for Patriot missiles — the one interceptor that stops what still gets through.