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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Nicholas Cecil

Putin military attacks Kyiv for first time in more than a month with wave of missiles

Vladimir Putin’s military launched a heavy missile attack on Kyiv early on Thursday, injuring at least ten people including an 11-year-old girl.

The strikes damaged residential buildings and industrial facilities, city officials said, although air defences reportedly downed all the missiles.

The first large attack in recent weeks targeted the capital with both ballistic and cruise missiles, said Serhiy Popko, the head of its military administration.

"After a pause of 44 days, the enemy launched another missile attack on Kyiv," he said.

"All emergency services are working on sites. Clearing the consequences of the missile attack is underway."

Kyiv has been repeatedly targeted by Putin’s military during his war which has now entered its third year.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least ten people were injured across the city.

An 11-year-old girl was among the two people taken to hospital, city officials said.

(AP)

Ukraine's air defences shot down all 31 Russian missiles targeting the capital, the air force commander said.

Mr Popko said the Russian military used strategic bombers and also launched some missiles from its territory, while following complicated manoeuvres in neighbouring regions, the missiles targeted the city from different directions.

Air alerts lasted for nearly three hours.

Mr Klitschko said missile debris hit several residential buildings, industrial sites, and a kindergarten across the city.

Residents of a multi-storey building in the central district of Shevchenkivskyi were evacuated after one of the apartments caught fire.

The attack also shattered windows in several houses nearby, and set cars ablaze.

It came after Ukrainian drones targeted the main base of Putin’s long-range strategic bomber fleet deep inside Russia early on Wednesday, according to intelligence sources.

The attacks on the Engels air base were reported to have been launched by Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency but it was unclear if they succeeded in getting through Russian air defences and causing any damage.

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