Russia launches massive missile attack on Ukraine: 31 rockets downed in Kyiv

Russia launched a massive air attack on Ukraine overnight on March 21. Rockets were heading toward western regions, but most of them veered toward Kyiv.

During the Russian attack, approximately 30 missiles were intercepted over the Ukrainian capital and its vicinity by air defense forces, Rubryka reports, citing the authorities.

The Kyiv Regional Military Administration reported a missile attack and the operation of air defense systems at 04:24. The Kyiv City Military Administration and Mayor Vitalii Klychko also confirmed this information. 

The Russians launched a missile attack on Kyiv after a 44-day break. They used Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 cruise missiles from the strategic Tu-95MS bombers and ballistic missiles from the territory of the Russian Federation.

The air raid alert in the capital lasted for almost three hours. After complex maneuvers in adjacent regions, the missiles approached Kyiv simultaneously from different directions. 

"Approximately thirty enemy missiles, including ballistic ones, were intercepted by air defense forces and assets over Kyiv and in its vicinity," the Kyiv Military Administration said in a statement.

The consequences of the massive missile strikes were reported by the city's administration at 06:50:

• A fire in the Shevchenkivskyi district damaged a multi-story residential building; evacuations are underway. At another address, cars caught fire; explosive waves damaged windows in some buildings.
• In the Sviatoshynskyi district, debris damaged a preschool educational institution building, a multi-story residential building, and burned cars.
• In the Podilskyi district, debris fell onto the territory of a non-residential building and the roof of a residential building, causing a fire; a fire was also recorded on the roof of a non-residential two-story building.

All emergency services are working at the scenes of the incidents, and the elimination of the consequences of the missile strike is ongoing.

At the moment, about two individuals — an 11-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man — are confirmed injured. No fatalities have been reported.

"According to preliminary information, the enemy attack on the capital injured ten people, including a child. 79 people were evacuated. Rescuers, police, and psychologists are working at the scenes," the State Emergency Service said in a statement. "Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, firefighting and search and rescue operations are ongoing in an industrial building. The State Emergency Service units managed to rescue one person, and nine people were injured. Unfortunately, five residents have died." 

Later, Commander of the Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk reported that overall, the Russian forces attacked with a ballistic missile "Iskander-M," an air-launched ballistic missile, "Kinzhal," and 29 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.

The targets were launched from 11 strategic Tu-95MS bombers from Volgograd and Engels.

According to the Air Force, the missiles approached from the north, with the main direction of the strike being toward Kyiv. Ukrainian air defense systems destroyed all targets in the Kyiv region.

"As a result of successful combat operations, all enemy missiles were shot down in the Kyiv region," Oleshchuk said.

On March 20, during an air raid alert, an explosion rocked Kharkiv. A hit was recorded in one of the districts. The Russian strike on the Holodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv killed five, with seven injured.