Russia launched a comprehensive missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, in the early hours of Thursday. This marked the first such assault on the Ukrainian capital in over a month, with officials reporting the deployment of 31 ballistic and cruise missiles.
Despite the Ukrainian air defense systems’ successful interception of all incoming missiles, the fallout from the strikes led to injuries among 13 civilians, including an 11-year-old girl. The city awoke to explosions around 5 a.m., causing widespread panic and damage across various districts. Serhii Popko, the head of the Kyiv City Administration, confirmed the simultaneous missile barrage from different directions.
The Ukrainian air force detailed that the attack comprised two ballistic and 29 cruise missiles, aimed at the heart of Kyiv. Among the injured, the young girl and a 38-year-old man required hospitalization, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the strikes.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported that eight other individuals suffered minor injuries, with emergency services evacuating around 80 people from their homes. The missiles’ interception led to a fire in an apartment building, significant damage to vehicles, and craters in the streets and a nearby park. The debris also caused extensive property damage, including shattered windows.
This aggressive maneuver by Russia comes in the wake of Ukrainian air strikes near the Belgorod region, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of potential retaliatory actions against civilian infrastructure. Putin’s remarks underscore the heightened tensions and the possibility of further escalations affecting civilians in the ongoing conflict.
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