Fri Dec 20 05:52:55 UTC 2024: ## Kyiv Hit by Russian Missile Attack, One Dead, Seven Wounded
**Kyiv, Ukraine –** A Russian missile barrage on Kyiv on Friday morning resulted in at least one death and seven injuries, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack, which damaged buildings and sparked fires across several districts, involved eight missiles, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and Iskander/KN-23 ballistic missiles, said Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that air defenses were engaged and that fires broke out in Holosiivskyi, Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Dnipro districts, with damage including multiple burning vehicles. The attack comes after Ukrainian strikes on a chemical plant in southern Russia earlier this week.
The Russian defense ministry claimed the attack was a response to these strikes, stating it launched a “combined strike with long-range precision weapons.” This follows President Vladimir Putin’s recent suggestion of a “high-tech duel” with Ukraine, showcasing the alleged invincibility of Russia’s new hypersonic missiles. President Zelenskyy condemned the attack, referring to Putin’s entourage as “thugs.”
Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down five ballistic missiles and 40 drones, with another 20 drones failing to reach their targets. Prior to the main attack, warnings were issued about a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet capable of launching hypersonic missiles taking off from a Russian airbase.
The attack follows a night of drone attacks, all reportedly intercepted by air defenses, and ongoing clashes in southern Ukraine, where Russian forces attempted incursions near Kherson, resulting in one death and at least nine injuries. Al Jazeera’s Defence Editor suggested the attack was a direct response to the escalating rhetoric between the two presidents.
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