Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones early Tuesday, killing at least 10 people, Ukrainian officials said, more than a week after a warning from Moscow of a major attack.
Dozens of explosions shook Kyiv overnight and several sites in the capital were still on fire Tuesday morning. Four people were killed and three children were among the 58 injured, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Kyiv. A nine-story apartment building in the Podilskyi district, west of the Dnipro river, partially collapsed, he said.
In the city of Dnipro, six people were killed and 33 injured as a result of an overnight attack, according to the local authorities.
Overall, Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles in the overnight wave of strikes, according to Ukraine’s Air Force, which reported that 33 missiles hit their targets.
Russia warned on May 25 of a plan to strike “decision making centers” in Kyiv and urged Western diplomats to leave the city.
Its foreign ministry had threatened military strikes in retaliation for what Russian officials said was a Ukrainian drone attack that struck a college dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, killing 21 students.
Russia has been bombarding Kyiv and other cities for years, beginning long before Ukraine developed the capability to strike back.
Initial reports suggested that the attack early Tuesday was no more damaging than typical strikes, despite the warning of a major assault.
Since Russia’s warning more than a week ago, Kyiv residents have lived in a state of fear. For days, Russia launched planes in a manner that imitated a large attack, without actually launching one, setting off alarms and wearing people down.
Kyiv’s shelters have been fuller than usual since the warning. Many families have ended up sleeping in subways and parking lots for multiple nights.
Early Tuesday morning, with the first Russian drones crossing the border into Ukraine, shelters were already full. Those who arrived in the middle of the night after the missile warnings sounded struggled to find a space to lie down.
Subway station floors were covered in tents and yoga mats. Dogs were barking while children were crying, struggling to fall asleep.
When the alarm was lifted, sleepy families walked home as the sun cut through thick clouds of smoke over Kyiv.
But shortly after 7 a.m., when some residents were already on their way to work, Russia hit the city with hypersonic ballistic missiles, Ukrainian officials said, which left little time for people to seek shelter.
Francesca Regalado contributed reporting.
Maria Varenikova covers Ukraine and its war with Russia.
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