Kyiv —
Just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that Russia was preparing a “massive attack,” Ukraine’s air force announced early Thursday morning local time that Russia had fired missiles at Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.
A day earlier, Zelenskiy met with US President Donald Trump at the White House and asked him to provide additional air defense systems to repel Russian attacks as the war, which has lasted more than four years, escalates.
At least one person was killed in the attack on the capital, the city’s military government said.
In addition to the ballistic missile attack on Kiev, Dnipro and Kryvyi Rikh were also hit, according to the air force.
Ukraine’s air force warned early Thursday morning local time that “several waves” of cruise missiles had been fired from “strategic aircraft” as a warning to residents. It also announced that a cruise missile launch was detected in the Novorossiysk region of southern Russia.
Graphic video of the aftermath of the attack in the village of Radushne near Krivi Ri showed bodies strewn among the rubble of shattered buildings and fires still burning.
I heard two invisible women talking. “We pulled out one of the children. There are still some lying there,” one said.
“There are children here. Lots of children,” said another.
After the first wave of attacks, the Air Force announced that “more ballistic missiles” were flying toward Kiev.
“The threat of further attacks remains,” Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, urging people to remain in shelters.
Videos posted on social media showed families taking shelter in a crowded Kiev metro station, some sleeping under blankets on the floor or in small tents.
According to Reuters, Poland has aggressively scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace from attack, the country’s military announced on X news agency.
The attack came hours after President Zelenskiy said he had received a report from the air force that Russia was preparing “massive attacks” on all regions of the country.
“There is a high possibility that a strike will take place tonight,” Zelenskiy said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
