Kyiv’s Mayor has confirmed a “massive” Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital. Reports indicate explosions were heard across the city as air defenses engaged incoming threats.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated on Telegram that air defense forces were active over Kyiv. He described the situation as a “large-scale attack on the capital” and reported two injuries in the Dniprovskyi district.
Correspondents on the ground reported hearing loud explosions in the city center and witnessing air defense systems intercepting drones and missiles. Klitschko added that a fire broke out on the roof of a five-story residential building in the Solomianskyi district. Medical assistance requests were also reported in the Desnianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts. Another fire was reported in a residential building in the Podilskyi district.
Moscow has intensified its attacks on Kyiv in recent months, targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, railway systems, and residential areas.
The news follows a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to troops stationed in the Zaporizhzhia region, in the southeast of the country. Russia claims to be making advances in that area.
Zelenskyy posted on Telegram stating he discussed necessary decisions with the military to strengthen defenses in the Orikhiv area, a key launch point for the unsuccessful Ukrainian counter-offensive in 2023. The visit occurred amidst a corruption scandal in the energy sector, leading to the resignation of two government ministers and sanctions imposed by Zelenskyy on an associate.
While the Zaporizhzhia front is less active than the eastern front, where fighting is currently concentrated, the Russian army has announced expanded control in the region in recent days. Prior to this, the front lines had remained largely static for two years. On the eastern front, battles are focused around Pokrovsk, a strategic hub. Reports suggest that hundreds of Russian soldiers have infiltrated the area in recent weeks, weakening Ukrainian defenses.
