KYIV: A night of explosions and emergency sirens left Ukraine’s capital shaken as Russian strikes targeted Kyiv and surrounding areas, killing civilians, injuring dozens and damaging key sites.
The overnight attack, which began after midnight on Wednesday, killed 14 people and injured 27 others, according to Ukrainian emergency officials, while rescue teams continued searching damaged areas for survivors.
The strikes triggered air raid alerts across Kyiv, a city of nearly three million people, with the military administration reporting attacks on seven locations.
Authorities said one person was killed and 24 others were injured in several parts of the capital. An ambulance driver was among those wounded, while four injured people remained in critical condition, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“There may still be people under the rubble,” Klitschko wrote on Telegram after rescuers pulled two people from the remains of a warehouse near the city centre that was destroyed in the attack.
“Search and rescue operations are proceeding,” he added.
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The mayor said the strikes caused fires in warehouses and storage areas, while missile debris landed near a residential building. Earlier reports of a fire at a 20-storey apartment building were later ruled inaccurate.
The Kyiv military administration reported that the attack also caused an ammonia leak, with emergency crews working to contain the situation.
The Russian Defence Ministry said it had targeted logistics hubs and supply centres in Kyiv and nearby areas, claiming they were being used for military purposes.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched four Zircon missiles, 24 Iskander-M missiles and 115 drones during the overnight assault. Ukrainian air defences destroyed or suppressed 98 drones, but no missiles were intercepted, according to the air force.
The latest strikes come as Russia has increased attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, while Ukraine has continued targeting Russian facilities, including a logistics hub of online retailer Wildberries.
Reuters could not independently verify all reports from either side. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly denied targeting civilians during the war, which began after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
