Kyiv was struck by a substantial series of missile and drone attacks in the early hours of Sunday, coming soon after the Ukrainian air force issued a public warning that Russia might fire an Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile.
Explosions echoed across the city shortly after 1 a.m. local time, following the air force's announcement on its Telegram channel of a possible Oreshnik launch. The assault involved both missiles and drones, according to local reports.
At least three people were injured in the incidents, and several residential buildings across Kyiv sustained damage, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. He also reported debris on fire on the grounds of a central city school.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had on Saturday warned that Russia was preparing an attack using the Oreshnik missile, referencing intelligence from Ukraine, the United States and Europe. Ukraine's air force did not immediately reply to requests for comment on whether an Oreshnik missile had struck any target during the overnight attacks.
Russian forces have previously used the Oreshnik missile in two attacks, and President Vladimir Putin has publicly claimed the weapon is impossible to intercept, citing its reported speed of more than 10 times the speed of sound. The current warnings and the subsequent strikes followed an order by Putin to prepare military options against Ukraine after a drone strike hit a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's military said it had targeted a Russian drone command unit in connection with that episode.
Context and immediate facts
- The Ukrainian air force posted an alert on Telegram about a potential Oreshnik launch prior to the attacks.
- Explosions occurred in Kyiv shortly after 1 a.m. local time.
- Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported three injuries, damage to residential buildings, and burning debris on the premises of a central school.
Information remains limited on whether an Oreshnik missile specifically struck any targets in this attack; the air force had not provided a confirmation at the time of reporting.