Ukraine was unable to shoot down any of Russia’s missiles in assault that left 27 people injured
Russian strikes in and around Kyiv overnight killed at least 17 people, injured 27 and damaged warehouses, emergency service officials said.
Air raid alerts lasted for more than an hour as Moscow’s forces continued deadly heavy attacks on the Ukrainian capital.
Kyiv was unable to shoot down any of the missiles launched by Russia, whose intensifying attacks have prompted Kyiv to plead for more US-made Patriot interceptors.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: “Ballistic interceptors are what could have saved the lives of those killed today.”
The military administration said seven sites were hit in an assault that began on Wednesday after midnight. In Kyiv, authorities said one person died, 24 were injured and buildings were damaged.
The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said: “There may still be people under the rubble.” Rescuers pulled two people from the ruins of a warehouse near the city centre that was destroyed in the attack.
An ambulance driver was among the 24 injured and four people were in a critical condition, Klitschko added.
He said the attack set off fires in warehouses and storage areas. A large fire broke out on the city’s outskirts and debris from a fallen missile landed beside a residential building.
The Kyiv military administration said the attack caused an ammonia leak that emergency crews were tackling.
Witnesses heard explosions throughout the city. Klitschko said air defence units went to work against the assault.
One journalist reported seeing dark smoke and the acrid smell of burning lingering in the air hours later. Natalia Reutska, who lives in Kyiv, told AFP: “The night was so terrifying, so hard,.
“We’ve gotten used to waking up thinking, ’we were lucky today,’ and that’s very scary.”
Ukraine shot down 98 of the 115 drones fired by Russia overnight, the air force said, but it was unable to shoot down any of the missiles, preliminary statistics showed.
Kyiv can intercept the vast majority of drones, but relies on supplies from allies to counter missiles.
On Wednesday, the Russian defence ministry said it had hit logistic hubs and supply centres in Kyiv and surrounding areas, claiming they were for military purposes. Russia’s military has an extensive history of striking purely civilian targets in Ukraine and committing anti-civilian atrocities.
In Russia on Tuesday, Ukraine hit Wildberries logistics hubs, adding to more than a dozen it has damaged recently.
Source: Guardian - World News
