Ukraine sank a 13,000 ton cargo ship linked to Putin's state nuclear corporation – as Zelensky begged the West for more missiles to defend itself after more Russian bombs rained on Kyiv, killing nine. 

The 466ft-long ship linked to atomic energy company Rosatom went down in international waters in the Black Sea, marking the latest blow to Vladimir Putin. 

All 17 crew members were rescued before the ship sank. 

The head of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, claimed the £10million vessel was carrying 'civilian goods', despite being owned by FESCO, which is part of the nuclear corporation's group.

'This was a completely ordinary civilian container ship, sailing in international waters and carrying civilian goods - from frozen products to construction and finishing materials,' he claimed. 

'Such an attack can only be described as piracy and maritime robbery.'

The ship was sunk by a Ukrainian marine drone strike.  

Rosatom is a Russian state corporation that specialises in nuclear energy and nuclear non-energy goods. 

FESCO is one of Russia's largest transport and logistics groups.

Mr Likhachev claimed the vessel sank 130 miles off the port of Novorossiysk. 

The ship, called the Yanina, sailed from the Suez anchorage at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal on July 27, but its original loading port and intended Black Sea destination remained unclear. 

Ukraine has damaged or destroyed more than 200 Russian shadow fleet and associated vessels since July 6. 

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded with the West to supply Ukraine with more air defence missiles after Kyiv was once again brutally bombed by Russia. 

A total of nine died and 28 were wounded as dozens of missiles hit apartment buildings and private homes, a school, supermarkets and a car wash. 

The dead included a 22-year-old police officer on duty and among the injured were four teenagers.

President Zelensky said: 'As usual, the Russians struck at ordinary residential buildings.

'Only one ballistic missile was shot down last night, simply because there are no missiles for the Patriot systems.

'And it is precisely this shortage of anti-ballistic defence systems that encourages Russia to carry out such attacks against human life.' 

The MIM-104 Patriot system is used to defend against ballistic missile attacks. 

Donald Trump said yesterday that he was 'not sure' about letting Ukraine build Patriot missiles. 

He added: 'It's a very extraordinary weapon, and. . . we have to be a little bit careful of who we licence to. We don't really licence equipment.'  

In Kyiv, the Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha told of a 'hellish night...the second attack of this magnitude in just two days'. 

A woman said she escaped to a shelter as hypersonic missiles hit and emerged after to see their home in ruins. 

'We didn't think that it would hit our apartment,' said Darya. 

Another woman Olga, looking at her ruined apartment block, said: 'I've got nothing left, nothing. But at least I am alive, which is good.'

At least 105 people were rescued from the rubble, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The Russian defence ministry claimed it had targeted military enterprises and logistics centres in the Ukrainian capital and the surrounding Kyiv region.

Defence plant Artem and the TPP-5 power plant were hit, according to reports. 

It was the second major strike on Ukraine in 36 hours which unleashed at least two dozen missiles.

Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine is desperately short of the means to defend itself against Russian ballistic missiles as Mr Putin continues to attack civilians as well as military targets.