Russian missiles streaked into Kyiv early Thursday in what appeared to be the biggest assault on the Ukrainian capital in weeks, injuring at least eight people and damaging several residential buildings and industrial facilities, according to local officials.
Loud blasts could be heard in the capital starting around 5 a.m. as Ukrainian air defense systems tried to repel the attack. Air raid alerts ended at 6:10 a.m.; the extent of the damage was unclear. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia had launched a barrage of weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles.
Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said on the Telegram messaging app that debris from missiles brought down by air defense systems had fallen in different parts of the city, causing fires in at least three residential buildings and in parking lots. He said emergency responders had been deployed.
The air assault came at a difficult time for Ukraine’s military, with Russian forces pressing ahead with ground attacks at several locations along the frontline of more than 600 miles.
