Kyiv and the entirety of Ukraine have been thrust into a state of urgency as multiple explosions reverberated across the region, marking the onset of a wave of air strikes orchestrated by Russia.
The onslaught commenced in the capital at 05:00 local time (04:00 WAT), prompting swift defensive measures from Ukrainian military forces.
Ukrainian military authorities reported that their air defence systems were actively engaged in repelling the attack. Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, disclosed that approximately a dozen Russian missiles had been neutralized over the capital and its surroundings.
Remarkably, there have been no reports of casualties or significant damage resulting from the assaults, as stated by Popko in a Telegram message.
In a parallel development, Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, confirmed via Telegram that the city itself had remained unscathed.
However, he revealed that approximately 20 missiles and seven attack drones had been directed towards the broader Lviv region, targeting critical infrastructure.
Earlier, Ukraine had been placed under nationwide alert, warning of the potential launch of cruise missiles from Russian strategic bombers.
In response to the escalating crisis, Poland announced the activation of its air force to safeguard Polish airspace, particularly after strikes were also directed towards the Ukrainian border region of Lviv.
“The Polish and allied aircraft have been activated,” declared the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces (RSZ). “All necessary procedures to ensure the security of Polish airspace have been activated, and the RSZ is monitoring the situation continuously,” the statement added.
The latest escalation comes in the aftermath of Friday’s barrage of Russian missiles, which targeted critical infrastructure, including a dam, plunging a million Ukrainians into darkness after power outages swept across the nation.
Despite the intensified hostilities, Moscow has yet to issue a formal response to Sunday’s strikes. However, Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of the port of Sevastopol in annexed Crimea, claimed that Russian forces had intercepted 10 Ukrainian missiles over the city late on Saturday.
Razvozhayev reported significant damage to an office building and a gas line, with one individual sustaining injuries from shrapnel, as conveyed through his Telegram message.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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