Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv, overnight, killing at least nine people and wounding dozens.
This comes after days of warnings that Moscow was planning a major attack.
Russia launched 73 missiles and 656 drones at Ukraine starting 6 p.m. local time on Monday (1500 GMT), Ukraine’s air force said, adding that 40 missiles and 602 drones had been neutralised.
Kyiv was the main target, but drones struck 38 other sites across Ukraine, the air force said on Telegram.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it used high-precision, long-range weapons to strike Ukraine’s defense industry facilities. In a statement, the ministry said it carried out a “massive strike” and claimed to use “high-precision weapons.”
“The strike objectives have been achieved, all designated targets have been hit,” it claimed.
Death toll likely to rise
At least five people were killed and 25 injured in Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on Telegram.
The injured were hospitalized and are reported to be in moderate condition, he said, sharing pictures of heavily damaged residential buildings and burned vehicles.
In Kyiv, at least four people were killed and 51 others injured, according to the capital’s head of military administration, Tymur Tkachenko.
The death toll is likely to increase.
A suspected missile strike on a 24-floor apartment building in Kyiv triggered its collapse, with people likely trapped under the rubble, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Other buildings caught fire from suspected missile debris, he added.
“In the Obolon district, cars are burning after being struck by falling missile debris,” Klitschko said. “There are also fires at two locations in open areas, including one near a kindergarten.”
Air raid warnings rang across much of Ukraine on Tuesday morning, forcing Kyiv residents to take refuge in shelters and underground metro stations. Many residents also faced power outages and problems with the water supply.
In Kharkiv, at least 10 people were injured, according to the eastern city’s mayor.
The Ukrainian air force said Moscow had used ballistic and cruise missiles in the attacks, something it has done before.
