At least eight people were reportedly killed and another 30 were injured in the capital of Ukraine after Russia launched a massive attack of drones and rockets, including a rare strike in the city center, at the beginning of Thursday.
It was the first main Russian combined attack on Kiev in weeks, when the peace efforts kept by the US to end the Three Years War tried to get traction.
Among the dead were two children, said Interior Minister IHhor Klymenko with citing preliminary information. The numbers are expected to increase. The rescue teams were in place to pull out people trapped under the debris.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that Russian air defense systems had captured and destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones overnight. The ministry said the drones focused at least seven regions.
Meanwhile, Tymur Tkocchenko, head of the Kiev city administration: “Russia has launched bait drones, excursion missiles and ballistic missiles.” He added that at least 20 seats in the seven districts of Kiev had impacts.
“Almost 100 buildings were damaged, including the shopping center in the city center and thousands of windows were broken,” he said.
President of Ukraine condemns Russian attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenky said on Thursday that the deadly Russian missile strike in the Ukrainian capital Kiev shows that Moscow is not interested in “real diplomacy”.
“Russia will choose the ballistics instead of the negotiating table instead of the attack,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelsky after the attack.
“We expect a reaction from all in the world who demanded peace, but now is more silent than they are interested in principle positions,” he added.
“One of the raising twice”
This time the Russians hit the central part of Kiev, one of the few Russian attacks reached the heart of the Ukrainian capital since the beginning of the invasion in full.
Thursday’s attack was reportedly the first main combined Russian mass drone and a missile attack hit by Kiev because US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin at Alaska early this month to discuss the end of war in Ukraine.
While the diplomatic pressure to end the war seemed to be gaining strength shortly after this meeting, there were several details about other steps.
Western leaders accused Putin of pulling his legs into peaceful efforts and avoiding serious behavior, while Russian troops moved deeper to Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian military leaders admitted that Russian forces had disintegrated into the eighth area of Ukraine, which tried to capture more land.
(Tagstotranslate) Russia is launching a massive “rare” attack
