Zelensky condemns ‘ruthless assault’ after Russia hits important authorities constructing in Kyiv

Ukraine’s important authorities constructing in Kyiv has been hit for the primary time within the struggle throughout Russian assaults, the Ukrainian prime minister has stated.

Yulia Svyrydenko stated the constructing’s roof and higher flooring have been broken and a fireplace ignited “due to an enemy attack”.

At least 4 folks have been killed in strikes throughout the nation, together with a child and a younger girl who died after a nine-storey residential constructing was hit in Kyiv’s Svyatoshynsky district, officers stated.

Ukraine’s air power reported {that a} document variety of drones and missiles have been launched by Russia within the newest nightly assault – greater than 800 in whole.

According to the air power, 9 missiles and 56 drones hit 37 areas, and the downed wreckage fell at eight areas.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated the barrage precipitated injury within the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, in addition to within the Sumy and Chernihiv areas.

“Such killings now, at a time when real diplomacy could have started a long time ago, are a deliberate crime and an attempt to prolong the war,” Zelensky stated on social media, urging political will from the world to cease the assaults.

Russia’s defence ministry stated it had carried out strikes on Ukraine’s military-industrial complicated and transport infrastructure, inflicting injury on weapons and navy tools warehouses.

The Kyiv authorities constructing that was hit is often known as the cupboard of ministers constructing, because it homes the places of work of Ukraine’s important ministers.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko steered a drone might have by accident hit the cupboard constructing after being intercepted, though the small print remained unclear on Sunday.

“In Pechersk district, a fire broke out in a government building as a result of an UAV possibly being shot down,” he wrote on Telegram.

This is a brand new twist in Russia’s assaults on Ukraine. Until now, no authorities constructing has been hit – the centre of Kyiv may be very closely defended, it has been because the begin of the full-scale invasion. So this may shake folks.

It is a symbolic strike. It additionally reveals clearly that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speak about being prepared for peace is all posturing. He just isn’t stopping. Instead, Russia is intensifying its assaults.

The BBC’s workforce was not allowed near the cupboard constructing. The entire space is behind a checkpoint, as a result of all the principle official buildings are there – authorities, parliament and the presidential palace.

But earlier on Sunday, the workforce noticed a big column of smoke rising into the sky from simply behind the Maidan, Independence Square.

Then they heard and noticed two Russian cruise missiles shifting at very excessive pace, earlier than one other explosion.

At a block of flats in Kyiv that was hit, one girl, Valentina, and her husband have been asleep when the strike shattered their home windows and lined them in glass.

“At least we’re alive,” she stated, deeply saddened by the dying of a younger girl neighbour along with her child.

People say the household had solely simply moved into the condominium and that the lady’s husband is in hospital, badly harm.

Ukraine footballer Georgiy Sudakov’s flat in Kyiv was additionally left severely broken after a Russian drone struck whereas his spouse and youngsters have been inside, the 23-year-old stated on Instagram.

Sudakov is away on worldwide obligation with Ukraine however posted footage and movies of the aftermath. It was not clear whether or not Sudokov’s household was harm within the assault.

Kyiv officers stated a number of multi-storey residential buildings within the Svyatoshynkyi and Darnytskyi districts have been partially destroyed after direct hits.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, 17 folks have been injured in a strike on the town of Zaporizhzhia, the place a number of buildings together with houses and a nursery have been hit, regional administration head Ivan Fedorov stated.

Outside the town, a girl was killed and a person was lacking after a Russian glide bomb hit the Novopavlivka village, Fedorov added.

Another particular person was killed in Safonivka, within the Sumy area, and one other within the Chernihiv area, Zelensky stated.

Russia additionally attacked Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown in central Ukraine, the place three infrastructure amenities have been hit. Air raid warnings have been activated in a single day for all the nation’s areas.

There have been additionally strikes from Ukraine into Russia. The Russian defence ministry stated its air defence forces shot down or intercepted 69 Ukrainian drones in various Russian areas.

At least three civilians have been killed and buildings have been broken within the Belgorod area, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated on Sunday.

Ukrainian drones hit the important thing Russian oil pipeline Druzhba, Ukrainian unmanned aerial forces commander Robert Brovdi stated. He stated a pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk area was struck.

Earlier this week, Putin rejected Western proposals for a “reassurance force” in Ukraine the day after any ceasefire comes into place, following a Paris summit geared toward finalising plans for safety ensures.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Sunday’s assault in Ukraine, saying they confirmed that “Putin believes he can act with impunity” and “is not serious about peace.”

French President Emmanuel Macron stated 26 of Ukraine’s allies had formally dedicated to deploying troops “by land, sea or air” to assist present safety the second preventing was dropped at a halt. He gave no additional particulars.

Putin sought to quash the allies’ initiative, warning that any troops deployed to Ukraine can be “legitimate targets”.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow at the moment controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory – together with the southern Crimea peninsula illegally annexed in 2014.

Additional reporting by Vitaliy Shevchenko