Russia's Air Attack on Kyiv Escalates Ukraine Conflict.

Ukrainian air defenses successfully thwarted an intense Russian air attack on Kyiv, which included 18 missiles launched from air, sea, and land. No casualties were reported. The attack came as European leaders sought new ways to punish Russia for the war and a Chinese envoy sought traction for Beijing’s peace proposal. This was the eighth time this month that Russian air raids had targeted the capital, a clear escalation after weeks of lull and ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive. Sophisticated air defense systems provided by Ukraine’s Western allies have helped spare Kyiv from the kind of destruction witnessed elsewhere in the country as Russian forces press on with their tactic of long-range bombardment.