Vladimir Putin’s military unleashed a wave of air strikes on Kyiv during the early morning rush hour as Ukrainians returned to work in the New Year.
The bombardment came hours after the Russian President vowed to avenge what Moscow said was a Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod that killed 24 civilian people.
Russia barraged the Ukrainian capital with waves of missiles during the morning peak-hour, cutting off power in parts of the city and sending debris from downed weapons falling across the area.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said: "Another attack by Russian savages. Almost a hundred missiles of various types. At least 70 missiles were shot down. Nearly 60 of them were intercepted in the Kyiv area. There were also severe strikes on Kharkiv."Patriot, IRIS-T, and NASAMS—each of these systems has already saved hundreds of lives. Russia will be held accountable for every life lost."
Four people were reported killed in Kyiv and at least 92 injured, with one fatality in Kharkiv.
Mr Zelensky said Russia had launched about 170 "Shahed" attack drones and dozens of different missiles at Ukraine since December 31.
Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko urged people early on Tuesday morning to stay safe, writing on Telegram: "Explosions in the capital."
A member of the Ukrainian Parliament said she was among those injured in the strikes, which damaged her home.
Kira Rudik said: "My home is now partially in rubble. I have no windows on one side anymore. I have minor injuries but I am alive. The fires are everywhere. Russia you will pay.
Many parts of the capital were hit.
Olexander Scherba, a senior Ukrainian diplomat, tweeted: “They do like to send their missiles during the rush hour when people are getting to work.
“It literally rains missiles over Kyiv now. Very loud. Can’t imagine what it would’ve been like without Patriots.”
Bridget A. Brink, United States Ambassador to Ukraine, messaged: “Putin is ringing in 2024 by launching missiles at Kyiv and around the country as millions of Ukrainians again take shelter in freezing temps. Loud explosions in Kyiv this morning. It’s urgent and critical that we support Ukraine now - to stop Putin here.”
Putin has stepped up air strikes on Ukraine over the New Year period, and on Friday conducted its largest air attack of the almost two-year-old war on Ukraine, killing at least 39 people.
Russia launched waves of missiles at the capital during the morning rush hour on Tuesday, after dozens of its drones were shot down as they targeted Kyiv.
Ukrainian military authorities issued air alerts that lasted for at least three hours.
Mr Klitschko said gas pipelines had been damaged in Kyiv's Pecherskyi district, and electricity and water had been cut off in several districts of the capital. Rescuers were putting out fires in several places, he added.
The loss of electricity and water brought back memories of last winter when Russia pounded the energy grid with missiles, causing frequent power cuts and plunging millions into darkness
The air strikes were believed to have ended around 10am local time.
All over Kyiv this morning, this is how we wake up. pic.twitter.com/vP3MgpqN43
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) January 2, 2024
Ukraine's air force said earlier on Tuesday it had destroyed all 35 attack drones that Russia launched after midnight targeting several cities in Ukraine, including Kyiv.
The attacks came after Putin said on Monday that Ukraine's strikes on Belgorod "will not go unpunished." They kept most of Ukraine under air raid alerts for hours.
Russia claimed that Ukraine launched an attack on Belgorod from the Kharkiv region on Saturday, just across the Russian border.
The full scale of the Russian missile attack was not immediately clear.
The city of Kharkiv was also under a "massive missile attack," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
One person was reported to have been killed, 41 wounded, with rescuers pulling at least 17 people from the rubble of buildings, according to reports.
Putin has resorted to targeting towns and cities across Ukraine after his invasion plan, which included seizing Kyiv within days, failed spectacularly.
His war, launched in February 2022, is locked in a stalemate as it is almost dragging into a third year.
Up to 350,000 Russians have been wounded or killed in the conflict, according to British estimates, with Ukraine also suffering high casualties, including many civilians.
