Arabic version: كييف تواجه ضربات صاروخية واسعة النطاق، والإصابات تُسجل
According to BBC News,
Russian forces have launched a major drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight, killing at least ten people, officials say. Several neighbourhoods were evacuated as strikes rocked buildings throughout the city, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia was preparing for a “massive” attack.
Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, reported that children were among the “significant number” of casualties, emphasizing that the enemy was deliberately targeting residential areas and civilians. The Russian Ministry of Defence, however, claimed that the strikes were aimed at energy facilities in response to recent Ukrainian attacks.
As daylight broke, the aftermath of the strikes revealed significant destruction, including a crater from explosions, smoldering vehicles, and damaged infrastructure. Fires erupted across the city, with reports of damage to an ambulance station that left at least one person critically injured. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the death toll had risen incrementally throughout the morning.
Ukrainian officials indicated that this marked the first large-scale missile and drone strike by Russia on Ukraine in more than two weeks. In addition to the attacks on Kyiv, Russia targeted military bases in central and eastern Ukraine, asserting that these actions were in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian power stations. Poland has also taken precautionary measures by activating fighter jets to protect its airspace, although there have been no reports of attacks on Polish territory.
The situation remains tense as Russian troops have advanced into Kostyantynivka, a critical location in eastern Ukraine. Should Moscow secure this city, it would provide a strategic advantage in the Donbas region. Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian commanders report regaining more territory this year than they have lost, disrupting vital supply lines for Russia.
