At least nine people have lost their lives and another 28 have been injured, including four minors, in an attack launched early this Saturday by the Russian Army against Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, according to local authorities.
The mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, has detailed that several detonations have shaken the city after Russia fired ballistic missiles at least four districts of the city.
"Explosions in the city! Kiev is suffering a ballistic missile attack," Klitschko warned, who initially stated that "there had been one fatality" in Kiev. Approximately an hour later, the mayor raised the toll to three dead, eventually reaching nine dead by the early hours of the morning.
"Nine people have lost their lives in the capital as a result of an enemy attack. Twenty-eight residents of Kiev have been injured, including four children. Seventeen of the injured are being treated in hospitals. The rest received medical assistance on an outpatient basis or at the scene," he indicated.
During the explosions, the Ukrainian Air Forces confirmed that several "ballistic missiles" were heading "from the north towards Kiev."
The mayor of the capital has urged the population to seek shelter and has pointed out the existence of several fire hotspots in the districts of Holosiivskii, Darnytskii, Shevchenkivskii, and Solomianskii.
"In the Solomyanskii district, a fire has been declared in a six-story non-residential building after being hit by an impact. In the Holosiivskii and Darnytskii districts, debris has fallen on non-residential buildings. In the Solomyanskii district, there are cars on fire in a parking lot. In the Darnytskii district, a missile has hit a non-residential area. In the Shevchenkivskii district, there is a fire in a car wash. In the Solomyanskii district, there are people trapped in a five-story building after debris from a rocket fell on it. A fire has occurred in the courtyard of a residential building," he explained in a post on his social media.
Russia has struck the Ukrainian capital again with long-range ballistic missiles, a recurring tactic of Moscow aimed at undermining local air defenses that struggle to intercept this type of weaponry. In light of the reactivation of this campaign, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has called in recent months on his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to expedite the delivery of Patriot air defense systems to counteract Russian attacks.
"By failing to achieve its objectives on the battlefield, Russia is intensifying its air attacks and terror against civilians. Ukraine urgently needs additional air defense and missile defense systems, as well as interceptors," stated the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, on social media.
The Foreign Minister has insisted on the urgency of having these systems, indirectly emphasizing to the White House the importance of "the speed in decisions and delivery."
"Every decision that strengthens the defense of Ukrainian skies saves human lives, while every delay leads to deaths and war crimes. It is the battle for the skies that will define the trajectory of this war. The stronger the air shield over Ukraine, the closer peace will be," he added.