A dozen explosions were heard Monday morning in the center of kyiv, shortly after the triggering of aerial sirens in the capital, noted journalists from Agence France-Presse. “Explosions in the city, in central neighborhoods,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram. “The air defense is in action,” the Kyiv military administration said.
Eleven Russian Iskander missiles launched by Russia on Monday were shot down by the Ukrainian army, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Valery Zaluzhny, said in a statement afterwards. “A total of 11 Iskander-M and Iskander-K type missiles were launched from the north” at kyiv and its region, he said on Telegram. “Air defense destroyed all targets,” added Valeri Zaluzhny. The Ukrainian capital has already been the target of aerial attacks overnight from Sunday to Monday.
This heavy missile fire on kyiv caused panic among residents who were trying to take shelter from this rare attack launched in broad daylight. A video relayed on social networks shows dozens of schoolchildren running screaming in terror, in a historic district of kyiv, to the sound of explosions caused by the interception of missiles.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal denounced this “sixteenth” attack on kyiv since the beginning of the month. “Russia is purposely terrorizing the civilian population,” he blasted.
“Command posts, radar posts, as well as aircraft equipment, facilities for storage of weapons and ammunition of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hit,” he said.