Blasts were heard and numerous buildings were set on fire in Kyiv after Russia struck Ukraine’s capital for the third night in a row.
Officials believe the fires were started by falling debris when Ukraine’s air defenses engaged incoming munitions. At least one individual has been reported dead.
Ukraine claims to have shot down all missiles and drones used in Russia’s prior two night strikes.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has complimented Patriot air defense systems manufactured in the United States.
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He claimed they had “completely destroyed any Russian missiles.”
“Russia wants to follow the path of evil to its end, that is, to its defeat, because evil cannot have any other end than defeat,” he declared late Monday in a video message.
“The rest of the world must see that terror is losing.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, General Kyrylo Budanov, warned of a quick retaliation to the Russian assaults.
According to Russia’s military, all planned targets were hit during recent attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
The disputing parties’ assertions have not been independently verified.
In the latest nocturnal air assault, Kyiv’s military administration reported three buildings on fire.
A fire in a multi-story structure in the southern Holosiivskyi area killed one person and injured three others.
“Two upper floors are destroyed, and there may be people underneath the rubble,” the government said in a statement.
In the Darnytskyi area, directly over the Dnipro river, two private buildings were set on fire and many cars were destroyed.
Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, called the latest attack “massive” and urged citizens “not to leave shelters.”
After several hours, the air raid alert was lifted, indicating that the Russian air assault was done for the time being.
It was the capital’s 17th strike since May 1, including an unusual daytime attack on Monday.
Russia has used kamikaze drones as well as a variety of cruise and ballistic missiles in its full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.
Analysts believe Moscow is attempting to deplete and destroy Ukraine’s air defenses in preparation for its long-anticipated counter-offensive.
‘We are ready to launch a counter-offensive,’ Ukraine says.
For months, Ukraine has been plotting a counter-offensive. However, it has sought as much time as possible to train troops and collect military supplies from Western allies.
