In the early hours of August 1 Ukrainian capital Kiev was subjected to a massive attack with ballistic missileslaunched from Russian territory.
According to initial data from local authorities, as a result of the strikes three people have died and at least 12 have been injured. Rescue operations in several areas of the city are still ongoing at this time, as there are reports of citizens trapped under the debris of partially collapsed buildings.
The air alert in the capital and surrounding areas was declared at around 01:30 local time. The Ukrainian Air Force urgently warned of a real threat of strikes with ballistic weapons moving at high speed from the north. In just a few minutes, more than a dozen powerful explosions echoed in Kiev, shaking residential and industrial districts.
The city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed serious damage in four administrative districts – Solomyansky, Shevchenkovsky, Darnytsky and Goloseevsky. In Solomyansky district, rocket debris hit a five-story residential building, trapping residents inside, while a fire broke out in a neighboring 6-story non-residential building and a car park. In Shevchenkovsky district, a fire was recorded in a car wash, and in other affected areas, warehouses and industrial sites were hit. Local sources also reported temporary power and water outages in parts of the city.
This new wave of shelling is the second large-scale air attack on Ukraine in the past 48 hours. It once again highlights the serious shortage of high-end air defense munitions capable of intercepting hypersonic ballistic targets.