Explosions rock Kyiv as Russia launches new wave of missile and drone strikes

Missiles struck Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, early on Thursday morning, setting off air raid sirens and forcing residents into bomb shelters. Explosions were heard across the city just after the alert was issued.

“Kyiv is being attacked by enemy missiles,” the capital’s military command posted on Telegram, urging people to take shelter immediately. Local authorities confirmed that at least two districts in the city had sustained damage.

In the basement of a residential building, an AFP reporter saw over a dozen people gathered, seeking safety from the blasts. Among the injured was a three-year-old child who was rushed to hospital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. He later confirmed that the total number of injured had risen to 21, all of whom received medical attention.

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This was Kyiv’s first missile attack since 5 April, when three people were wounded. The capital has remained a consistent target throughout Russia’s invasion, which began in February 2022.

Meanwhile, in the east of the country, the city of Kharkiv was also hit. Mayor Igor Terekhov said that seven missiles had struck the city overnight.

Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed that Russia had launched coordinated strikes on multiple Ukrainian cities, using both missiles and drones. “Putin shows only a desire to kill,” Yermak wrote. “The attacks on civilians must stop.”