Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, injuring at least 10 people and damaging residential buildings and industrial facilities, city officials have said, although military officials said all the missiles were downed.
The attack early on Thursday was the first massive assault in recent weeks that targeted the city with ballistic and cruise missiles, said Serhiy Popko, the head of its military administration.
“After a pause of 44 days, the enemy launched another missile attack on Kyiv,” he said. “All emergency services are working on sites.”
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 10 people were injured across the city.
Ukraine’s air defences shot down all 31 Russian missiles targeting the capital, the air force commander said.
Popko said the Russian military used strategic bombers and also launched some missiles from its territory while following complicated manoeuvres in neighbouring regions, with the missiles targeting the city from different directions.
Air alerts lasted for nearly three hours.
Klitschko said missile debris hit several residential buildings, industrial sites and a kindergarten.
Residents of a multi-storey building in the central district of Shevchenkivskyi were evacuated after one of the apartments caught fire. The attack also shattered windows in several houses nearby, and set private cars ablaze, Popko said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to show the “political will” to help Kyiv.
“Such terror continues every day and night. It is possible to put an end to it through global unity,” Zelenskyy said, calling on the West to send Ukraine more air defence systems. “This is entirely possible if our partners demonstrate sufficient political will.”