Kyiv attacked by ‘kamikaze drones’, say officials
Russia has hit Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, with a wave of Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones – killing at least one person, says Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
“It shows their desperation,” said Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s staff.
And in the port city of Mykolaiv, sunflower oil tanks were set on fire by similar drones, said the city’s mayor.
A week ago, the capital was hit by Russian missiles at rush hour, part of nationwide attacks which left 19 dead.
A Ukrainian air force official said all the drones had flown into the country from the south.
Oleksandr Senkevich said three drones ignited the tanks at Mykolaiv late on Sunday evening, hours before the attack in Kyiv.
Monday morning’s attacks in Kyiv were from drones – the low buzzing of these slow-moving weapons is becoming familiar across the country.
The city reverberated to the rattle of gunfire as anti-aircraft batteries frantically tried to shoot them down. Video on social media appeared to show one interception.
The explosions on Monday began at about 06:30 local time (03:30 GMT). The most recent was at about 08:10 local time.
Two were close to the city center, with sirens and car alarms heard across the area.
“The enemy can attack our cities, but it won’t be able to break us,” said President Zelensky, describing the attacks as “terrorizing the civilian population”.
What is being targeted is hard to determine. The mayor’s office says residential and non-residential buildings have been hit. Railway officials say explosions were seen close to Kyiv’s main station.
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of launching missile attacks on the Russian border city of Belgorod. Ukraine has denied this.
Agencies