Ukraine struggles to defend itself against Russian attacks

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published July 7, 2026 at 5:59 AM HST

Local residents clear a territory at a residential building damaged by Monday's Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Dan Bashakov/AP)

Ukraine is struggling to defend itself against a barrage of Russian airstrikes on major Ukrainian cities due to a shortage of air defense systems.

Siobhan O’Grady, Ukraine correspondent for The New York Times based in Kyiv, tells us the story of a teenage girl who lost her life when a Russian missile hit her family’s apartment building in May.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Here & Now Newsroom