Kiev, Jun. 12, (dpa/GNA) – The Ukrainian air force repelled heavy Russian attacks on Kiev overnight, involving cruise missiles, rockets and drones, authorities in the Ukrainian capital said on Wednesday.
Air-defence fire could be heard in the capital at night. Two air alerts were issued, lasting a total of two hours.
Falling missile fragments caused several fires outside the city, the military administration of the Kiev region said on Telegram. An unspecified industrial building went up in flames. A petrol station, garages and several private buildings were also damaged.
One person was injured.
According to the air force, four Ch-101 and Ch-555 cruise missiles and a Kinzhal hypersonic missile were fired at Kiev. They were all shot down, according to air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk.
All 24 Russian combat drones deployed over Ukraine had also been intercepted, he said.
The Russian Defence Ministry in Moscow said an Iskander-M ballistic missile destroyed a Ukrainian air-defence system in the Poltava region.
A drone image appeared to confirm an impact at the named location of Polyvyane in the Poltava region, but the object hit could not be precisely identified.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than two years. Most of its cities are not as well protected against airstrikes as Kiev.
On Tuesday, there were indications that Ukraine’s air defences would be further strengthened.
During his visit to Germany on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Ukrainian soldiers being trained on the Patriot defence system at a military training area in the north-eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Germany has said that it will soon provide a third system. According to media reports, the US will also provide another Patriot defence system to Ukraine. GNA