NATO Secretary General: Russia's latest attack aimed at Ukraine’s civilian population

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking ahead of the Alliance summit, stated that Russia's "indiscriminate" missile attack on Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast was planned specifically to harm civilians.

Rutte stressed that the Russian ballistic attack on the night of 5-6 July 2026 was "indiscriminate" and not directed at military targets, contrary to claims from Russia.

"This is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure and cities in Ukraine," he said.

Rutte, however, expressed confidence that this tactic would not succeed, as "Russia will never be able to win this war in this way." "Of course, this is terrible for the people at the epicentre of the events, for the residents of Kyiv and other cities who had to endure this. But the facts are that [on the battlefield] Ukraine has been achieving even better results in recent months," he added.

In Rutte's view, the latest strike once again demonstrated how Putin is "losing control due to Ukraine's successes on the battlefield."

Rutte also praised Ukraine's defence forces for their "deep strikes" on Russian rear positions, including energy infrastructure, as well as for their successes along the battlefield. "The situation is generally at a stalemate now," he added.

Following the attack, Rutte stated that allies must ensure Ukraine receives everything it needs.