Russia has carried out drone attacks on “critical infrastructure” in and around Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities have said, adding that air defense systems destroyed about 15 of the 20 drones targeting the capital.
Key Points:
- The attacks sparked fires in the often-attacked central Shevchenkivskii district, a witness said.
- Ukraine says Russia used about 35 Iranian-made Shahed drones in the latest attacks
- The drones were launched from the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov, the Ukrainian military said
Preliminary information suggested there were no deaths or injuries from the strikes in the capital, Kyiv’s mayor said, and medics were working at strike sites in Solomyanskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts.
“As a result of the attack on the capital, critical infrastructure facilities were damaged,” Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.
“Power and heating engineers are working to quickly stabilize the situation.”
A Reuters witness reported a fire as a result of the attack in the central district of Shevchenkivskii, which is often attacked.
The Solomyanskyi district in the western part of Kyiv is a busy transport hub with a train station and one of the city’s two passenger airports.
Ukraine says Russia launched 35 Shahed drones in latest wave of strikes. (Reuters: Gleb Garanich)
Russia used about 35 Iranian-made Shahed drones in strikes in Ukraine early Monday, 30 of which were destroyed, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Oleskiy Kuleba, governor of the Kyiv region, which does not include the capital but surrounds it, said infrastructure and private homes were damaged in the overnight drone strikes.
According to the first data, two people were injured.
Reuters could not independently verify the information.
Ukraine’s armed forces said the drones were launched from the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov.
Russia had made the Sea of Azov in southern Ukraine its “internal sea,” delimited by Russia and Russian-controlled territory in southern Ukraine, including Crimea.
Air raid sirens sounded for most of Monday night in Kyiv and the surrounding region, with skies declared clear at 5:50 a.m. local time.
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Reuters