Kyiv
Kyiv is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine, serving as the political, cultural, and strategic heart of the nation. Since the 2022 Russian invasion, it has remained a primary target for Moscow's long-range missile and drone campaigns, while functioning as the command center for Ukrainian resistance and international diplomatic engagement.
Kyiv stands as the historical and modern anchor of Ukrainian sovereignty. Located on the Dnieper River, the city is not only the seat of government but also a symbol of national resilience. For the Jewish world, Kyiv holds deep historical significance as a former major center of Jewish life in Eastern Europe and home to a resilient contemporary community that has remained active despite the ongoing conflict. Since the escalation of hostilities in early 2022, Kyiv has transitioned into a city under perpetual aerial threat. Russian forces have consistently targeted its energy infrastructure and civilian centers using a variety of munitions, including Iskander ballistic missiles, Kh-101 cruise missiles, and Iranian-manufactured Shahed-style drones. In early July 2026, the city faced its heaviest-ever combined barrage, with hundreds of projectiles launched across the country, resulting in at least 13 fatalities in the capital alone and severe damage to residential apartment buildings. These strikes often aim to degrade the city's power grid and break the morale of its residents; a June 2026 strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, left 140,000 residents without electricity. In response to these sustained assaults, Kyiv has become the base for sophisticated retaliatory operations. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently described an 'unprecedented' Ukrainian drone campaign against Moscow—involving nearly 200 aircraft—as a direct response to the strikes on the capital. As the war continues, Kyiv remains the focal point of both Russian aggression and Ukrainian defiance, with its civilian and cultural infrastructure bearing the brunt of the aerial campaign.