by Olena Harmash and Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey
KYIV (Reuters) – Russia bombarded Kyiv and the surrounding area of Ukraine’s capital with missiles on Thursday, the largest such attack in about a month and a half, wounding at least 17 people and damaging property. schools, residential buildings and industrial sites, Ukrainian authorities said.
The Ukrainian air force said its defenses shot down all the missiles fired by the Russians, with the damage likely caused by falling projectile debris.
“Every day and every night there is this terror. The unity of the world can put an end to it if it helps us with air defense systems. We need this defense now here in Ukraine,” responded the Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelensky on Telegram messaging.
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Kyiv city and regional authorities said at least 13 people were injured in different districts of the capital and four others on its outskirts. An 11-year-old girl is one of four victims hospitalized.
Russia denies targeting civilians as part of its invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.
According to the Ukrainian army, Russia has fired more than 8,000 missiles against Ukraine in two years of war and air warning sirens have sounded more than 1,020 times in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian capital was placed on alert for nearly three hours Thursday morning after 44 days of calm.
“We feel hatred, terrible hatred. It’s not fear, it’s hatred. Towards Russia in general and all those there in particular,” said resident Kostiantin. from Kyiv, interviewed by Reuters alongside his wife in front of a damaged house.
His wife added, in reference to the re-election of Russian President Vladimir Putin last weekend: “I sent a hello message to my parents in Crimea who went to vote (…) They participated in the election and voted for Putin. Mom, and Dad, thank you very much for the fact that my husband and I were almost killed today. Thank you.”
The Russian army attacked Kyiv from several directions using strategic bombers and missiles fired from its own territory, said Serhiy Popko, head of the military administration of the Ukrainian capital.
(French version Camille Raynaud, Corentin Chappron and Bertrand Boucey, edited by Tangi Salaün)
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