Explosions began in Kyiv immediately after the announcement of an air alert in the city. The Armed Forces reported that they had destroyed two ballistic missiles flying from the occupied Crimea.
Eyewitnesses reported at least four explosions, with huge plumes of smoke visible over the city. It is already known about the destruction of a multi-story non-residential building and at least five injured people.
"Explosions in the capital. Urgently take shelter!" - originally wrote the mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko.
"I heard explosions about a second after the siren," - said the correspondent of BBC Ukraine in Kyiv, Georgy Erman. These words are confirmed by other eyewitnesses.
Such a strike for Kyiv without an alarm announcement at least a minute before the strike happened, perhaps not for the first time. Previously, when struck by "daggers" or other ballistic missiles, at least half a minute or a minute passed from the moment of alarm to the impact.
Telegram channels, which usually specialize in alarms, suggest that the strike could have been carried out from the Bastion coastal missile complex by Onyx missiles from Crimea. There are also assumptions about the Zircon missiles, which were used to hit Kyiv earlier during combined strikes. It is ballistic and has already been launched over Kyiv from Crimea.
The Air Force does not yet know what kind of ballistic missiles these were. "The type is being established," their message reads.
"According to preliminary information, as a result of a missile attack on Kyiv, debris was recorded in the Pechersk district. Damaged non-residential building. Operative services are following the scene of the incident," the Kyiv City Military Administration reported.
They clarified that the multi-story building in the Pechersk district was significantly damaged.
Klitschko confirmed that the three-story non-residential building was destroyed.
PHOTO AUTHOR, REUTERS Photo caption, A completely destroyed three-story building in Pechersk. Judging by what remained of the walls, there was a gymnasium inside
PHOTO AUTHOR, REUTERS The mayor reported five victims in Pechersk. One woman and a 16-year-old girl were hospitalized.
Vitaliy Klitschko added that there are calls to emergency services in Pecherskyi, Solomyanskyi and Dniprovskyi districts of the capital. There was also falling debris.
Also, in the Holosiyivskyi district of Kyiv, fragments of a rocket were found in a forest strip. Previously, there was no information about the victims and the destruction.
PHOTO AUTHOR, MYKOLA KALASHNYK
The last time Kyiv was hit by a massive rocket attack was last night, when all the rockets were shot down and there was no significant damage.
Mykola Kalashnyk, the head of the Darnytskyi district administration, reported that in the Darnytskyi district, a private house in the Osokorka microdistrict was damaged by debris after a rocket attack - without further catching fire.
