‘Suicide drones’ are believed to have struck the centre of Kyiv this morning, in the latest Russian attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine.
Several loud explosions rocked the centre of the capital, a week after Russia orchestrated massive, coordinated air strikes across the country in retaliation for a blast at a key bridge to Crimea.
There was no official word on any injuries following the latest wave of attacks, which set air sirens off and saw smoke rising from buildings.
But pictures did appear to show one injured woman, after gunmen had scrambled to shoot down drones and firefighters worked to put out the resulting blazes
Witnesses posted videos of drones buzzing across bright morning skies and of what sounded like shots from people trying to blast them out of the air before they struck buildings.
An Associated Press photographer captured one of the drones on camera, with its triangle-shaped wing and pointed warhead clearly visible against the blue sky.
Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klichko said the central Shevchenko district had been hit and urged residents to take shelter.
This morning’s attacks came from the same central Kyiv district where a week ago a missile struck a children’s playground and intersection near the Kyiv National University’s main buildings.
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Andrii Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, posted on Telegram that Russian forces had struck Kyiv with Iranian Shahed drones.
Vladimir Putin’s army has repeatedly been using the so-called suicide drones in recent weeks to target urban centres and infrastructure, including power stations.
The explosive-laden devices blow up after impact.
The drones’ intended targets weren’t immediately clear but Russian strikes over the past week have hit infrastructure, including power facilities.
Social media posts showed a fire in the area of one apparent strike, with black smoke rising into the early morning light.
Drones came in several waves and buzzed overhead before exploding.
Moscow has repeatedly been using the suicide drones in recent weeks to target urban centres and infrastructure.
Monday’s blasts seemed to continue what many fear could become more common occurrences in urban centres.
The latest attack on Kyiv comes as fighting has intensified in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in recent days, as well as the continued Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south near Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
That is despite Russia annexing four regions following sham referenda.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said last night that there was heavy fighting around the cities of Bakhmut and Soledar in Donetsk.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions make up the bulk of the industrial east known as the Donbas, and were two of four regions taken by Putin last month in defiance of international law.
On Sunday, the Russian-backed regime in Donetsk region said Ukraine had shelled its central administrative building in a direct hit. No casualties were reported.
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