Explosions were heard in the center of the Ukrainian capital Kiev early on Saturday and Sunday after air raid sirens were sounded across the country. The governor of the surrounding Kyiv region on Saturday warned of a possible incoming missile, saying air defense systems are trying to intercept the missiles. Mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko confirms the explosions.
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“Explosion heard in the capital. Air defense is (operational)”, Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram after an explosion was heard around 00:35 local time (23:35 Belgian time) on New Year’s Eve.
Air raid sirens also sounded in other parts of the country shortly after midnight, after so-called kamikaze drones from Russia were spotted in the last minutes of the old year.
With sirens wailing in the background, some Kiev residents shouted from their balconies: “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”
The local authorities report on messaging app Telegram that the anti-aircraft systems are doing their job.
Just before midnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech in which he said he hopes for victory in 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier today in his New Year’s speech that he is “historically right”, referring to the war in Ukraine.
According to former spokesperson for Ukrainian President Zelensky – Iuliia Mendel – an explosion damaged a hotel in the center of Kiev on Saturday. The same goes for some residential buildings in at least one district. One person was also killed and three injured in Kiev. There is also damage in Khmelnytsk, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia.
LOOK. Ukraine was also hit by Russian missiles two days ago.
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