Six killed, 80 wounded in intense Russian air attacks on Ukraine
Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Friday, killing at least six people, Ukrainian officials said, as powerful explosions reverberated across the country.
The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via US President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital.
Two died in an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv and at least one more in the northwestern city of Lutsk.
'Those killed in Kyiv were rescue workers who arrived at the scene of an initial strike and, unfortunately, were killed in a repeat Russian strike,' Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, writing on X, said Russia had "'responded' to its destroyed aircraft ... by attacking civilians in Ukraine ... Multi-storey buildings hit. Energy infrastructure damaged.'
Russia's defence ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian 'terrorist acts' against Russia.
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