Kyiv attacked after Ukraine’s Zelenskyy warns of ‘massive Russian strike’ | Russia-Ukraine war News
Explosions Rock Kyiv as City Faces Ballistic Missile and Drone Attacks
Kyiv, Ukraine — The Ukrainian capital was struck by ballistic missile and drone attacks overnight, resulting in significant property damage and at least two fatalities. An additional 11 individuals sustained injuries. The assaults followed a warning from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about a potential “massive” strike by Russian forces.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported a fire on the roof of a hotel shortly after the attacks began early Thursday morning. Images circulated on social media depicted a blaze raging atop a building on Shevchenko Boulevard, one of the city’s central thoroughfares.
“Kyiv is under attack from ballistic missiles and UAVs,” Klitschko noted in a post on Telegram, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles. He later confirmed that some residents were trapped in a damaged nine-story residential building, and another high-rise apartment was ablaze.
According to city authorities, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that two individuals lost their lives in the chaos.
Reports from AFP journalists stationed in central and eastern Kyiv indicated that the sound of more than a dozen explosions was audible as the Ukrainian Air Force warned that ballistic missiles were en route to the city. In the streets, residents hurried to underground stations for shelter, many carrying sleeping mats.
Shortly before the attacks commenced, President Zelenskyy addressed the public during a news conference in Dublin alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin. He warned citizens of an imminent “massive Russian strike” and urged them to seek safety.
“Today, we have information about another massive Russian strike; we have relevant intelligence data,” Zelenskyy stated, emphasizing the need for vigilance. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he expressed his intent to return to Ukraine immediately after the conference.
The President appealed to citizens to prioritize safety, urging them to heed air raid alerts and protect their families. He remarked on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression, asserting that Russia has been preparing for a significant strike for some time.
Zelenskyy also condemned Russia’s refusal to cease hostilities, despite Ukraine’s openness to negotiations. “Putin sees only further aggression against Ukraine and other neighbors and Europe as a whole,” he concluded.