Major Russian missile attack on Kyiv injures 51 and damages children’s hospital

At least 51 people, including six children, were injured in a Russian missile attack on Kyiv in the early hours of Wednesday in a sign of a renewed winter offensive by Vladimir Putin on Ukrainian civilians miles away from the war’s frontlines.

This is the second missile assault on Ukrainian civilians within 48 hours as Volodymyr Zelensky is in the US seeking help to save the besieged nation from Russian aggression.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said debris from the intercepted missiles fell in the capital’s eastern Dniprovskyi district, damaging several buildings and the water supply system. Of the total injured, 18 people were hospitalised while 27 others were receiving medical treatment on the spot. The oldest person hurt in the attack is 80 and the youngest is 5, officials said.

The debris from the missile assault damaged an apartment building, a private house, and set several cars ablaze. It also shattered the windows and entrances of a nearby children’s hospital.

Residents from one building were being evacuated and emergency services were working on putting out several fires started by the falling missile debris, Mr Klitschko said.

All missiles targeting the capital were downed by Ukraine’s air defence systems, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration said.

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He added that most injuries came from windows blown out by the blast wave.

Loud explosions rocked Kyiv at 3am as the city’s air defences started intercepting Russian missiles headed for the peaceful capital for the second time this week.

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Early on Monday, Russia fired eight long-range ballistic missiles and injured four people as the missile struck and destroyed several homes on the outskirts of Kyiv. More than 100 households were left without electricity temporarily.

Unknown cyberattackers disrupted the air raid attack warnings in part of the Kyiv region in a powerful hacking attack on Ukraine’s biggest mobile network operator on Tuesday, in a sign of crippling the defences by Kyiv to protect civilians from Russian attacks.

The attack was “a result of” the war with Russia, said operator company Kyivstar’s chief executive officer Oleksandr Komarov.

The attacks come as Ukrainian president Zelensky is in Washington negotiating with US lawmakers to approve additional military aid to fight off Russian invasion, as the war enters its second brutal winter. The primary opposition has come from the Republicans who said that the clearance of millions-worth aid is “practically impossible”.

Joe Biden warned Republicans on Tuesday that they would give Russia a “Christmas gift” if they failed to provide additional military aid to Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have warned that in a repeat of last year, Russia will inevitably target energy infrastructure to cause power outages and blackouts, leaving millions without power and hot water to survive the sub-zero temperatures. Last year, Russian missiles indiscriminately targeted Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and struck residential areas with missiles.

Experts have pointed out Russia stockpiled missiles and aerial weapons this October and November, when a lull in its aerial military activity was observed. Mr Zelensky has flagged Iran and North Korea’s military assistance to Russia by train and shipments in the run up to winter offensive.

Aerial bombing of Kyiv, most of Ukraine and battle’s frontlines is expected to rise and will play a crucial role in the coming months as thick snow from winter has set in and is seen to be hampering troop movements. The snow cover will allow little change along the front line and will likely leave the warzone static till the fields clear up.