Russian missiles struck Kyiv overnight in the biggest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war.
At least five people were injured, including a child, after 75 Iranian-made kamikaze Shahed drones targeted the capital.
Ukrainian officials said 71 missiles were intercepted and destroyed by air defences.
“Kyiv was the main target,” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his Telegram channel.
The attack was “the most massive air attack by drones on Kyiv,” said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv city administration, noting that air defence shot down more than 60 air targets over the capital throughout the morning.
The assault on Kyiv began at 4am local time, continuing in waves for over six hours, and caused power outages in 77 residential buildings and 120 institutions, according to Popko.
At least five civilians were wounded in the hours-long drone assault on Kyiv, which saw several buildings damaged, including a kindergarten. The wounded included an 11-year-old child, according to Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko.
“Our soldiers shot down most of the drones. Unfortunately, not all,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “But we continue to work to strengthen our air defense and shoot down more,” he said.
In addition to Kyiv, the Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions were also targeted.
