The second missile strike by Russia on Kyiv within the week resulted in injuries to at least 34 individuals and inflicted damage on residences and a children's hospital, Ukrainian authorities reported on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his plea for increased assistance for Ukraine, disclosed the air defense systems successfully intercepted all missiles directed at the capital around 3 am (0100 GMT), as per Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, conveyed on the Telegram messaging app. The extent of the assault was not immediately clarified.
Debris from the attack caused injuries and wreaked havoc in three districts on the eastern side of Kyiv, along the Dnipro River. A children's hospital in the Dniprovskyi district saw shattered windows and entrances from falling debris; however, initial assessments suggested no casualties, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko's statement on Telegram.
Residential buildings in the Dniprovskyi district bore the brunt of the debris, leading to injuries for at least 34 people, with 15 requiring hospitalization, including two children. The district's water supply also suffered damage. The specific types of weapons utilized by Russia in this attack were not immediately identified. This incident followed a ballistic missile barrage targeting Kyiv early on Monday, which caused injuries to four individuals.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden cautioned Republicans that failing to provide additional military aid to Zelenskyy would essentially be a "Christmas gift" to Russia. However, the meeting between Zelenskyy and a top US lawmaker concluded without a commitment to increased support. Russia, at the time of this report, has not commented on the Wednesday attack, which also inflicted damage on structures in Kyiv's Desnyanskyi and Darnitskyi districts.
Both Moscow and Kyiv deny intentionally targeting civilians throughout the nearly 22-month-long war initiated by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022. Popko indicated that 15 individuals, including four children, were evacuated from a residential building in the Dniprovskyi district due to debris impact, leading to a fire. He noted that most injuries were attributed to windows shattered by the blast wave, expressing concerns that the number of casualties might increase.
