Russia hits Ukrainian capital Kyiv with kamikaze drones

Four drone strikes hit central Kyiv on Monday morning as Russia used Iranian kamikaze drones to attack critical infrastructure, the second attack on the city in a week.

Drones damaged several residential houses and a fire broke out in a nonresidential building, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. Some streets were closed for traffic in the center of the city. Klitschko urged residents to avoid visiting central Kyiv if there was no urgent need to do so.

“Russians think that it will help them but such actions look like agony,” the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Telegram after the first two strikes.

One of the drones caused an explosion in a residential building in the center of Kyiv, mayor Klitschko said. For now, 18 people had been rescued from the building, with two residents under the rubble. Rescue work continued.

Russia last week struck Ukraine with missiles in the largest attack since it invaded the country in February.

Drones were aimed at energy infrastructure, Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the interior ministry, said on Telegram. Some drones were hit before they reached Kyiv.