Russian Missile Barrage Kills One, Injures 21 in Kyiv; Putin Vows Retaliation
A recent wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, has resulted in the death of one individual and left 21 others injured. Explosions were reported across the city, with Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirming damage in all districts, affecting residential buildings and a school. Among the injured was a 15-year-old boy; 13 people required hospital treatment, three of whom are in a serious condition.
These strikes materialised after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public commitment to retaliate. Putin had accused Ukraine of orchestrating a deadly attack on a student dormitory in Starobilsk last Friday, which reportedly killed 18 people. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed an attack near Starobilsk in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine on Friday night but maintained it targeted a Russian military unit, not civilians.
Sunday’s overnight assault on Kyiv impacted over 40 locations. Falling debris instigated fires at residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket, and a shopping centre. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, stated the capital endured a "massive ballistic attack" and warned of potential further launches.
One fatality occurred when a nine-storey residential building in the central Shevchenko district was hit, igniting a fire on its upper floors. In the same district, a strike near a school's air raid shelter left its entrance blocked, trapping several individuals inside. Emergency services are engaged in clean-up operations and providing aid across the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously indicated signs of Russia preparing a "combined strike on Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv," citing intelligence suggesting the potential use of the high-speed Oreshnik missile.
