Fire broke out in central Kyiv following a Russian drone attack, the military command in the Ukrainian capital said early this morning, after earlier disclosing that anti-aircraft defense forces were trying to repel a drone attack.
“Information on the extent of the fire, destruction, or possible injuries is under clarification, Sherhiy Popko, head of Kiev’s military command, said in a Telegram post.
It was not immediately clear whether the fire in the Shevchenkivsky district was caused by a direct hit from an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone fragments that were destroyed.
Emergency response teams were sent to the area, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said via Telegram.
Reuters eyewitnesses said they heard explosions and saw smoke rising over apartment buildings.
The Shevchenkivsky district, near the center of Kyiv, is busy, as universities, restaurants, and tourist attractions are located there.
The alert for imminent airstrikes was activated several times overnight in Kyiv, its namesake region, and most of Ukraine’s eastern part, according to social media posts by the Ukrainian military.
