Kiev: Ukraine anti-aircraft defence shot down a missile in Kiev and its wreckage fell on a residential neighbourhood destroying a five-storey building.
Anton Herashchenko, Advisor to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that he saw the missile being shot down and the wreckage fell in Kiev, near Kurenivka.
Vitalii Klitschko, Mayor of Kiev said that missile wreckage fell onto the road. One person was killed and six were injured, with two taken away by ambulance.
An empty tram was completely destroyed. Windows were shattered, the balconies of the nearest houses and commercial premises on the ground floors were damaged, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.
Earlier reports said Russia does not rule out taking “full control” of Ukraine’s major cities, the Kremlin said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “The Russian armed forces do not reject taking ‘full control’ of Ukraine’s major cities to ensure maximum security for citizens.”.
Peskov also says that, at the beginning of the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly gave the order “not to assault the cities immediately, including Kiev”, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.
The reason for that was “the deployment of weapons by militants in the cities”. It is unclear what was meant, although Russia says it is “demilitarising Ukraine”, namely destroying these weapons.
Earlier, an artillery shell hit a nine-storey apartment building in the Obolon district of Kiev, killing two people.
Ukrayinska Pravda reported the building was partially destroyed between the ground floor and the second floor, and a fire broke out on the second and third floor.
There were three victims, and 17 people rescued from under the rubble.
An airstrike on the town of Okhtyrka in the northeast of Ukraine in Sumy region on Monday has killed at least 3 civilians.
Pavlo Kuzmenko, Mayor of Okhtyrka said: “Okhtyrka – its residential neighbourhood, residential houses – was bombed at night. At least 3 people died, others have not been found yet. Behind me, houses are burning.”
(IANS)
