At least three people, including a child, were killed in overnight Russian attacks near Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow continued a series of strikes following warnings from President Volodymyr Zelensky about dwindling interceptor supplies.
Missiles struck an area east of the Ukrainian capital in the early hours of Saturday. Witnesses reported hearing powerful explosions, days after attacks across Ukraine that killed 21 people.
Timur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said falling debris damaged apartment buildings and cars. A separate building caught fire, while three people were reported wounded in the ballistic missile strikes.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said emergency crews were also tackling fires at a building and a fuel tank in the capital. Ukraine’s state emergency service, DSNS, published images showing garages, a business and another building ablaze in Kyiv, adding that the number of victims was still being clarified.
Interceptor concerns
The latest attack came after Zelensky raised concerns that Ukraine’s capacity to defend against Russian missile strikes was being weakened by a reduced supply of interceptors from its partners.
Earlier this week, Zelensky said delays in receiving anti-ballistic systems had resulted in what he called horrific casualties and destruction. He said stronger interceptor capabilities could have saved lives during recent deadly assaults, and later said deliveries from allies had fallen significantly this year.
Zelensky arrived in Serbia for his first visit there after making those comments. The overnight strikes also followed Ukrainian attacks on two oil refineries deep inside Russia and on Moscow-linked vessels in the Black Sea. Zelensky said those operations were intended to restrict oil revenues used by Russia to finance its war against Ukraine.
Recent mediation talks have faltered, with attacks escalating on both sides.
Source: BBC News
