Russia intensifies attack on Ukraine overnight; Kyiv says air defence active
Explosion of a missile is seen in the sky over Kyiv during a Russian air strike.
Loud explosions were heard as Kyiv came under heavy air attack from the Russian side overnight. Authorities on early Saturday informed that falling debris were reported in three districts of the capital city while a residential building's roof caught fire.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko took to Telegram to confirm the reports, adding there was no immediate information about possible victims.
"Fire on the roof of a nine-storey building in one of the residential complexes of Dniprovskyi district," wrote Klitschko.
Serhiy Popko, the head of the civil and military administration of Kyiv suggested the public stay in shelters until an 'all-clear' was granted. Popko stated falling debris was the reason why the building caught fire, adding that more debrisfell on several streets in Darnytskyi and Solomyanskyi districts.
The Ukrainian Army said drones were headed towards the Kyiv region around 12:45 am local time (2145 GMT Friday) on Saturday.
In an attempt to ensure calm, the Ukrainian military released a statement saying air defence systems were active in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. American-made Patriot missiles have helped Kyiv spare the kind of destruction that other regions of the country are currently facing.
Similar attack took place earlier this week
This is not the first instance during the ongoing war when Moscow has conducted overnight strikes on the capital city while the public sleeps. On Thursday as well, the city's military administration reported falling debris that caused the fire in a non-residential building.
According to reports at the time, the attack was purportedly carried out by strategic bombers from the Caspian region, perhaps using cruise missiles. Local media reports stated the cruise missiles used were X-101 and X-55 types developed during Soviet times.
The heavy attack on Kyiv comes on the same day President Volodymyr Zelensky headed for the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.His visit to Japan comes in the backdrop of US granting Kyiv access toadvanced fighter jets and training for Kyiv's pilots.
According to an AFP report, Zelensky will hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit. He will also hold separate meetings with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as well as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
(With inputs from agencies)
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