Night of terror in Ukraine’s capital
A combined Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight has left nine people dead and more than 70 injured, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. The attack caused widespread destruction across the capital, igniting fires, collapsing buildings, and burying residents beneath rubble.
The most severe damage was reported in the Sviatoshynskyi district, west of the city centre, where an apartment building was completely destroyed.
Rescue teams work through the night
Dramatic photos shared on Telegram showed emergency workers using floodlights to search through wreckage. Rescue teams scaled ladders and combed through debris, as police called out from apartment to apartment checking for survivors.
“Mobile telephones are heard ringing beneath rubble. The search will continue until it becomes clear that they have got everyone,” a statement from the emergency services read.
Fires were reported in garages and administrative buildings, while metal fragments from the blasts struck numerous vehicles.
Air raid alert lasted six hours
Kyiv was under an air raid warning for six hours during the overnight attack. In addition to damage in the capital, Russian strikes also targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Kharkiv endured two separate waves of missile attacks, injuring at least two civilians and smashing windows across the city, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Strikes beyond the capital
Further west, in the Zhytomyr region, Russian forces reportedly launched a second strike on rescue teams who were already attending a fire. One emergency worker was injured in the repeat attack.
Ukraine’s state railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that railway infrastructure was also targeted. Two railway workers were wounded, and while administrative and technical buildings were hit, train services have continued to operate.
Source: The Economist
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