Smoke rises in the sky over the city after a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 26, 2023.GLEB GARANICH/Reuters
At least one person died and three were injured in Russia’s night air raid on Kyiv with the defence systems downing at least 20 drones moving toward the capital, city officials said early on Sunday.
Falling drone debris on a gas station killed a 41-year-old man in the city’s Solomyanskyi district, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Kyiv’s military administration said at least three people were injured in the attack on the city.
“Air defence forces have already destroyed more than 20 UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) moving toward Kyiv,” Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging channel. “But a new wave of drones is coming to the capital. Stay in shelters.”
Reuters witnesses said that during the air raid alerts that started sounding soon after midnight on Sunday, many people stood on their balconies, some screaming slogans like “Glory to air defence.”
Klitschko added that a fire broke out after falling drone debris hit a seven-story non-residential building in the Solomyanskyi district west of the city. The district is a busy rail and air transport hub.
In the Pecherskyi district, a historical neighbourhood of Kyiv, a fire broke out on the roof of a nine-story building due to falling drone debris, Kyiv’s military administration officials said on the Telegram.