• Monday, 23 December 2024

One dead after Kiev hit by massive Russian strike, mayor says

One dead after Kiev hit by massive Russian strike, mayor says

Kiev, 20 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - One person has been killed and nine others were injured in a major Russian missile attack on Kiev, Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram on Friday.

The death toll in the Ukrainian capital could rise further, Klitschko said, as the strike caused major damages and fires were still raging in several districts.

According to Ukraine's military administration, Russia used ballistic missiles in the attack.

Besides several buildings and a number of cars, a heating pipeline was also hit, with hundreds of homes and more than a dozen medical facilities, schools and kindergartens cut off from the heating supply as a result, Klitschko said.

Temperatures in Kiev are currently just above 0 degrees Celsius.

Russian drone attacks also struck targets in the greater Kiev region, mostly targeting warehouses, according to emergency services.

A fire broke out in a large warehouse covering 15,000 square metres near Boryspil Airport, which is located just outside the capital to the south-east. The flames have reportedly been localized.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for almost three years with the help of Western weapons.

During the colder winter months, Russia has repeatedly targeted the country's energy infrastructure, hoping to dent morale among the Ukrainian population.

Photo: epa