Ukraine’s military officials on Monday said that the country’s air defense units were actively engaged in countering a barrage of drones, cruise and multiple Russian missile attack on Kyiv.
Ukraine experienced nationwide air raid alerts, while neighbouring Nato member Poland activated Polish and allied aircraft to ensure the safety of its airspace.
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv partially destroyed a boiler house at a water plant in the city’s Holosiivskyi district, and a fire broke out in the Shevchenkivskyi district, which is home to several educational institutions.Medical personnel are on the scene providing assistance, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app.
Emergency services were dispatched to the Svyatoshynksyi, Holosiivskyi, and Solomyanskyi districts, he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine conducted multiple drone assault on Russia, targeting power plants and an oil refinery, marking one of the largest attacks since the full-scale war commenced, officials said. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued to make advancements towards a crucial town in eastern Ukraine.
In the Russian missile attack on Kharkiv, at least 47 people, including five children, were injured when missiles hit a shopping mall and events complex in the northeastern Ukrainian city.
The attack comes at a pivotal moment in the two-and-a-half-year conflict, as Russia intensifies its offensive in eastern Ukraine while attempting to repel Ukrainian forces that breached its western border in a surprise incursion on August 6.
Last week, Russia launched its most intense airstrikes of the war, targeting key sites including energy facilities, in the heaviest aerial assault since the conflict began in February 2022.
In response to the escalating Russian aggression, Ukraine has bolstered its domestic drone production capabilities and intensified its own strikes on Russian energy, military, and transportation facilities.
Following the attack in Kharkiv, which authorities reported involved a minimum of 10 missiles and impacted various sites, President Zelenskyy on his Telegram channel said: “All necessary forces for the rescue operation have been brought in.”
“And all the necessary forces of the world must be brought in to stop this terror. This does not require extraordinary forces, but enough courage on the part of the leaders – courage to give Ukraine what it needs to defend itself,” he added.
(With input from agencies)