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A grandmother's anguish at the sight of her grandson's corpse being pulled out from rubble has become a grim illustration of the tragic cost of Putin's war in Ukraine.

The elderly woman tried to recover her young relative herself after his Kyiv apartment block was struck by a Russian missile overnight, but was held back by rescue workers.

Her grandson was one of 15 people killed - alongside another 40 who were wounded - in Russia's latest bombardment targeting civilians.

Eventually she was helped to sit by emergency workers as the horror inflicted by Putin sank in and she was seen with her head in her hands.

'My grandson is on the seventh floor there,' she is heard saying in footage recorded at the scene.

'God, why did this have to happen? What did he do to deserve such a fate?'

Finally she screamed: 'For what?'

Last night's barrage also saw a children's hospital hit.

A bereft Kyiv grandmother is seen as her grandson's body is removed from a block of flats struck by a Vladimir Putin missile

The barbaric attack came today as 15 were killed, and 40 wounded, in one of the fiercest bombardments of the war

The wailing Russian-speaking pensioner had to be held back from trying to get inside to look for her grandson

A person with belongings walks in a residential area hit by Russian strikes on August 20

Local women react near covered bodies of victims at the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential area in Kyiv

A rescuer helps a local woman at the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine, August 20

Local people react at the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential area in Kyiv

The strikes hit 12 locations across Kyiv's Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts, damaging residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution.

Emergency crews were at the scene and pulled people out from under the rubble.

In Solomianskyi district, the top two floors of a nine-storey residential building were destroyed and fires broke out on other floors.

People were also trapped in two residential buildings and a school shelter.

Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched dozens of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles, as well as 168 drones in its overnight attack on the country.

It said that air defence units downed 145 drones and most of the cruise missiles but none of the missiles that run on ballistic trajectory.

Firefighters work near a site of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike

At least 15 people were killed and dozens were injured after a Russian missile barrage overnight

The strikes hit 12 locations across Kyiv's Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts, damaging residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to X in the wake of the damage, writing: 'It was a massive attack – the Russians had been preparing for a long time, combining different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, aiming to cause as much damage as possible to civilian infrastructure.'

He issued a plea for help with bolstering Ukraine's anti-ballistic defence, highlighting the country's need for more US-made Patriot interceptors.

'Unfortunately, while Moscow is investing in ballistic missiles and escalation, such strikes do not always receive the response they should from the world,' Zelensky wrote.

'And as long as Ukraine does not have enough anti-ballistic defence, Russia will not consider peace seriously.

'We are doing everything to ensure we have that protection, and work on the FREYJA programme continues every day.

'But Patriot interceptors cannot yet be replaced, and we need them every day.

'Every additional missile saves the lives of our people. I thank everyone who understands this and is looking for and finding ways to help.'

Kyiv has limited systems capable of intercepting ballistic threats, while supplies of missiles for its US-made Patriot air defence systems remain chronically constrained.

US President Donald Trump had authorised Ukraine to obtain licenses to produce Patriot air-defence systems, but later reversed that decision.

The FREYJA programme aims to combine Ukrainian missile technology with European industry to build an affordable anti-ballistic missile system capable of protecting Ukraine and the wider continent.

Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched dozens of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles, as well as 168 drones in its overnight attack on the country

At least 33 people were wounded as the air raid alert remained active into the early morning hours Thursday

Russia has intensified ballistic missile attacks on the capital to constrain Kyiv's air defence stocks

Such a system would grant Europe greater independence at a time when existing Patriot batteries and interceptor stockpiles are limited and constrained by competing global demands.

'In the capital, residential buildings were damaged, including a high-rise whose upper floors were destroyed, as well as a children's hospital and a school,' Zelensky wrote.

'My condolences to all the families and loved ones. Around 40 more people were injured.

'In the Odesa region, the enemy carried out a drone attack on a border crossing with Moldova; in the Chernihiv region, it targeted gas infrastructure.

'I thank all the rescuers, medics, police officers, and utility workers who have been helping people from the first moments.'

Larysa Bondaruk, 60, sat on the ground, holding her cat, Chanel, which had been rescued by firefighters.

With tears in her eyes, she said that her neighbor's grandson had been trapped under the rubble and died. Her apartment was badly damaged.

'A rocket hit the roof. It was incredibly loud, immediately, debris and doors were blown out. There were columns of smoke, columns of fire, screams, crying and despair,' she said.

'Two people were killed in our building, but the rescuers responded quickly and professionally. I am grateful to them for that.'

Russia has intensified ballistic missile attacks on the capital to constrain Kyiv's air defense stocks.

More than a dozen regions have been targeted across Ukraine over the past week, with Moscow launching more than 1,550 attack drones, 1,560 guided aerial bombs and 62 missiles towards Ukraine.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has intensified its own campaign of long-range strikes against weapons depots, military facilities and other strategic targets deep inside Russian territory, seeking to degrade Moscow's ability to sustain its attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Two separate attacks on Russia this week killed at least 16 people, including one child.

Since July, Kyiv has repeatedly targeted a warehouse belonging to the online retailer Wildberries, Russia's version of Amazon.

Ukraine's defence ministry said the latest strike meant that seven out of 10 of the largest Wildberries logistics centres had been 'disabled'.