Kyiv region strikes highest since March 2022: AFP

Russian strikes on the Kyiv region have reached an intensity not seen since March 2022, according to an AFP analysis of figures from the ACLED conflict monitor.

The area around the Ukrainian capital came under fire 118 times in the first 18 days of September. AFP said that was the highest tally since the 174 barrages recorded across all of March 2022, shortly after Russia began its full-scale invasion.

The strikes have increased since July and accelerated in August and September, hitting sites including warehouses, businesses and petrol stations. The analysis found that 2026 has already seen the highest number of strikes or strike series on the Kyiv region since the war began on February 24, 2022.

Most of the attacks were by drones, though missile strikes increased in July and August. AFP said many recent barrages involved jet-powered drones that Ukraine has struggled to shoot down because of a shortage of suitable munitions.

ACLED figures also showed Russian strikes across the rest of Ukraine reaching new records since May and peaking at 5,500 attacks in August. The barrages come as Moscow and Kyiv have escalated long-range attacks on each other and as Russia has increasingly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure before winter.