An alert was issued for practically the entire country and in Kiev the population was asked to seek shelter in the subway and in bunkers. Russia promised “systemic attacks” on the capital and this could be just the beginning of something bigger
Dawn had just begun in Portugal and was already long in Ukraine when all the warnings sounded, pointing to a major attack on its way from Russia that only stopped almost two hours later.
Kiev, Dnipro or Kharkiv, three of Ukraine’s largest cities, were just some of the places hit by an attack that featured shots from the most varied missile systems that Russia has aimed at the enemy.
In the early hours of the morning, the count already showed at least five deaths and dozens of injuries, with the worst scenario occurring in Dnipro, where four people died and at least 16 were injured, according to the regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha.
The injured were immediately taken to hospitals and none of them are in critical condition, but the images arriving from that city clearly show the scale of the attack, which hit an area of residential buildings, also burning vehicles that were on the street and even a children’s playground.
In the capital, Kiev, the first data points to one death and 29 injured, according to the head of the city’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, who reported damage throughout the city.
Kyiv. Covered in smoke after the Russian attacks.
Kyiv stands and will stand.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en)
One of the most sensitive situations arose after what Ukrainian authorities believe was a missile that hit a 24-story building, which ended up partially collapsing on impact, and authorities are searching for possible victims in the rubble.
“In the Obolon district, cars caught fire after falling missile debris. There were also fires in two locations in open areas, including in a children’s garden”, explained the Mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko.
Quickly realizing that the attack would be of a large scale, the Kiev authorities immediately advised the population to seek refuge, indicating the city’s metro stations and shelters as preferred locations for this purpose.
Furthermore, the president of Ukraine had already warned that a “massive attack” could be on the way, having warned the population in his usual daily video that is published at night.
“Our defenders are ready at all times with available supplies,” assured Volodymyr Zelensky, perhaps unaware that his warning would take shape hours later.
Russia had already warned that it was preparing for what it called “systematic attacks” on Kiev, particularly on the areas where all decision-making centers are located, including military ones. The Kremlin’s warning took a special form when it advised all foreign citizens to leave the city.
It is the response, according to Russia, to the attack carried out against a dormitory at the University of Luhansk, where 21 people died, with Ukraine denying having carried out any attack.
If Russia intends to carry out its “systemic” threat, it is to be expected that the next few nights in Ukraine could be as shocking as Tuesday morning.
