Ukraine war: Explosions rock Kyiv in apparent missile strikes

Explosions rocked multiple cities acros Ukraine on Monday morning, including Kyiv, which come following months of relative calm in the capital. 

Explosions were also reported in a number of other locations, including the western city of Lviv that has been a refuge for many people fleeing the fighting in the east; as well as Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr and Kropyvnytskyi.

“Strikes on energy infrastructure in the Lviv region were recorded,” regional governor Maxim Kozitsky said on Telegram, calling on residents “to stay in shelters” in the face of “the threat of further attacks”.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitalii Klitchko reported blasts in the city’s Shevchenko district, a large area in the center of Kyiv that includes the historic old town as well as several government offices.

The EU’s Commissioner for Justice, Belgian politician Didier Reynders, is currently visiting Kyiv and says he was taken to the basement of his hotel by security personnel when the explosions were heard. 

Lesia Vasylenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, posted a photo on Twitter showing that at least one explosion occurred near the main building of the Kyiv National University in central Kyiv.

The spokesperson for Emergency Service in Kyiv said there are dead and wounded people. Rescuers are now working in different locations, said Svitlana Vodolaga.

The number of casualties is not yet known, although President Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel that “as a result of the missile attack on Kyiv, there are dead and injured. These are civilians who moved around the city in their own cars.” 

In Kyiv, presidential adviser Mikhail Podolyak called the strikes “deliberate attacks.”

“Yet another proof of Kremlin’s terrorist inadequacy. Russia is not capable of fighting on battlefield, but capable of murdering civilians. Instead of talking we need air defense, MLRS, longer-range projectiles,” he said. 

Monday morning’s explosions were heard by journalists and appeared to be the result of missile strikes. 

Also on Monday morning, Associated Press journalists reported hearing explosions in the center of Dnipro city in southern Ukraine. 

Recent fighting has focused on the regions just north of Crimea, including Zaporizhzhia, where six missiles were launched overnight Saturday from Russian-occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the attack that damaged the huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea “a terrorist act” masterminded by Ukrainian special services.

Ukraine war: Explosions rock Kyiv in apparent missile strikes
Source: Reporters View PH