Russia launches massive drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, officials say
Ukrainian officials said three people were killed and at least 26 people were injured in Russia’s drone and missile attacks on Kiev.
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko described the strikes, which caused explosions and fires in residential buildings in the city, as “major”.
He said Kiev’s energy infrastructure was also damaged, leaving some buildings in the northeast without heating. The Ukrainian air force reported that several other regions across the country were also targeted.
Russia’s defense ministry said it had shot down or intercepted 216 Ukrainian drones that were targeting industrial facilities and disrupting air travel, according to Reuters news agency.
Residential buildings in Kiev were attacked “in almost every district”, the head of the city’s military administration, Timur Tkachenko, said on Telegram.
He issued a warning to take shelter at one minute after midnight on Friday (22:01 GMT local time), writing, “There is noise in Kiev.”
Falling debris and fires damaged several high-rise apartment buildings, a hospital, school and administrative buildings, according to emergency services.
They added that more than 40 people were rescued, including 14 from a fire in a residential building in the Desnayanskyi district, in which one person died.
It was stated that one more person in the building was rescued from under the rubble.
While authorities stated that medical teams were sent to all fires, Klitschko said that nine people were treated in hospital and the condition of one person was “extremely serious”.
Stating that part of the heating network of the Ukrainian capital was damaged in the attack, the mayor added that the city’s electricity and water supplies may have been cut off.
Ukrainian air forces warned that drones and guided bombs were targeting many other regions, including Sumy.
The nightly attacks came after six people were killed in another Russian attack less than a week ago, which also damaged residential buildings and energy infrastructure.
Russia says its attacks on energy targets, now a familiar part of the war, are aimed at the Ukrainian military.
These attacks led Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call for “no exceptions” to Western sanctions on Russian energy, shortly after the United States granted Hungary such an exemption.
US President Donald Trump first announced sanctions against Russian oil after saying that ceasefire talks with Russian President Vladimir were not progressing.
