Russia launched large-scale airstrikes on Ukraine early Monday morning, firing rockets, cruise missiles and drones.
Observers in Kiev called it one of the heaviest air raids in two and a half years of war.
According to the official air raid siren app, explosions were reported in the suburbs of the capital and in the Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil and Lviv regions.
Kiev is facing power supply problems, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on Telegram.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian military deployed up to 11 Tu-95 long-range bombers, which carry cruise missiles. In addition, Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missiles were reportedly fired at Ukraine. The country was also attacked from the Black Sea.
There was no overview of casualties and damage. One death was reported from Lutsk and the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Initial information indicated that the Ukrainian energy system was again a prime target of the attack. The energy supplier Ukrenergo imposed emergency shutdowns. The air raid siren was still sounding at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT).
Due to the proximity of Russian attacks to the Polish border, the Polish military deployed interceptors, the PAP news agency reported on Monday. Aircraft from other allies were also involved in the operation.
Ukraine has repelled a large-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.
On Saturday, Ukraine, Europe’s second-largest country, celebrated its 33rd Independence Day.
Reuters confirms death of British worker in Ukraine
A British man who worked as a security adviser for Reuters news agency has been killed in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the news agency has confirmed.
According to Reuters, Ryan Evans, “a member of the Reuters team covering the war in Ukraine,” was killed on Sunday in a night-time attack on a hotel in Kramatorsk.
According to authorities, his body was not recovered from the rubble for several hours.
Four people were pulled from the rubble with injuries, Vadym Filashkin, the governor of the eastern Donetsk region, said on Telegram. He had initially reported two deaths.
According to Filashkin, the four injured were Germans, Ukrainians, Latvians and Americans working for Reuters.
According to Reuters, a team of six staff members were staying at the hotel when the strike took place.
Two journalists from the organization were treated in hospital, one of whom is in serious condition, the agency said.
The remaining three team members are safe, the report said.
According to the agency, Evans was 38 years old and a former British soldier who had worked for Reuters since 2022.
He advised the agency’s journalists “on security issues around the world, including in Ukraine, Israel and the Paris Olympics.”
According to Ukrainian prosecutors, the hotel was hit by an Iskander-M missile.
Pro-Russian military bloggers confirmed the attack, but said heavy FAB-1500 glide bombs were used in the strike, which hit a factory and several military facilities.
