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Russian missile kills some in Kyiv apartment building-UPDATED

24 June 2023 10:04 (UTC +04:00)

As a result of Russia's missile attack on a residential building in Kyiv, the number of dead has reached 3 people, said Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Igor Klimenko, APA reports citing Unian.

***08:22

Russian forces fired more than 20 missiles at Ukraine’s capital in a predawn assault on Saturday that left at least two people dead, APA reports citing the New York Times.

Kyiv, the capital, found itself under attack for the eighth time this month as anxiety grew in Russia over a confrontation between Moscow’s military leadership and Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the outspoken founder of the Wagner mercenary group. The leadership accuses Mr. Prigozhin of trying to mount a coup against President Vladimir V. Putin.

Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration, said air defenses had shot down more than 20 missiles around the capital but that falling debris had hit a high-rise building and started a blaze that destroyed three floors. In addition to the dead, eight people were injured, he wrote on Telegram.

Just after dawn, smoke was still rising from the building as firefighters used a crane to observe damage to its 16th, 17th and 18th floors. Residents carefully stepped over the broken glass and building fragments that had scattered throughout the parking lot below.

Two women, their legs dotted with small wounds, walked out from the building. One was wrapped in a blanket; the other wore only a robe.

Residents of Kyiv had been shaken from their sleep just before 2:30 a.m. local time as air-raid sirens blared. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported explosions as other officials said air defenses were working and urged people to take shelter.