Three killed in strike on central Kyiv, Ukraine says
3 min read
A view shows a site of the Russian missile strike. Vlad Smilianets/Reuters
A Russian airstrike on Kyiv has killed three people, Ukrainian officials confirmed, after a night of terror in the capital. The attack, which took place in the early hours, began with two loud explosions, followed by the wail of air raid sirens. However, by the time the sirens sounded, the missiles had already hit, leaving residents scrambling for shelter. The main destruction occurred in the central Shevchenkivskyi district, where a deep crater was left in the road outside a business center.
This latest strike follows a pattern of Russian targeting of military sites in the neighborhood. However, the destruction this time affected civilian areas. Among the victims were a couple, who were killed in their vehicle on the street. Emergency workers removed the charred remains of cars from the scene, as nearby businesses, restaurants, and a metro station also sustained severe damage.
The business center, which had already been damaged in previous attacks, was further devastated in the latest strike. A tall glass tower and the main building were left in ruins, with either a second missile or large fragments causing the destruction. Fortunately, the center was empty at the time of the attack. Ukrainian forensics experts examined the wreckage, finding missile fragments on the pavement near the crater.
Andriy Kulchytskyy, head of the Military Research Laboratory at the Kyiv Institute of Scientific Expertise, explained that the crater was the result of a direct hit from an Iskander-M ballistic missile. He noted that the missile’s high speed caused the warning sirens to be ineffective, as they cannot react quickly enough to such fast-moving projectiles. Fragments of the missile were collected at the site, marking the location of the impact.
Nearby, a cake shop’s front was blown off, leaving pastries and pies covered in shattered glass. A dental clinic next door was also destroyed. Staff were seen trying to salvage whatever was left intact amidst the wreckage. One woman was even seen removing baubles from a Christmas tree that had miraculously remained standing amid the destruction. Reflecting on the situation, she shrugged and said, “We got used to it. It’s the third year of war.”
Witnesses to the attack described the terrifying moments when the explosions struck. Oleksandr, a young man who lived nearby, recounted feeling the wall shake as the blasts hit. “It was very loud. When the third strike came, it was pretty scary,” he said. Despite the chaos, by Saturday morning, the main road had been cordoned off, but life around the area seemed to go on. People walked their dogs, jogged, and locals were selling food outside the market.
A pensioner passing by expressed fear, stating that she didn’t know where to run as she usually seeks shelter in the metro. However, the metro station was also on fire. This strike marks the second fatal attack on Kyiv this month, following a New Year’s Day strike that also left two dead. Meanwhile, in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, local authorities reported that a Russian strike wounded 10 people, one of whom is in serious condition.
These strikes are part of the ongoing conflict that erupted following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the days leading up to the strike, Ukraine had launched several attacks on Russian territory. These missile strikes come just before the imminent inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump, whose campaign promises to reduce military and financial support to Ukraine have raised concerns among Ukrainians. Trump had previously claimed that he could end the conflict on the first day of his presidency, although he later revised this timeline to six months.
As the war continues, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized the critical importance of US support. With Russian airstrikes continuing and battles on the front lines intensifying, Ukraine remains heavily dependent on international assistance. The escalating violence in Kyiv and other regions is a reminder of the ongoing toll of the war, as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. The threat of further attacks looms large, while the country remains in a constant state of readiness, waiting for the next missile strike or artillery barrage. The situation in Ukraine remains dire as it faces an uncertain future with mounting pressures from both internal and external forces.
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