Kyiv rocked by deadly Russian strikes after Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning of ‘massive’ attack
Kyiv has been rocked by deadly Russian missiles after Volodymyr Zelensky warned of an impending "massive strike".
At least 10 people have been killed and over 50 injured, including two children, Ukrainian Government officials have said.
Video of the aftermath showed a nine-storey building turned to rubble as emergency services attempted to extinguish multiple fires throughout the Ukrainian capital.
Tymur Tkachenk, head of the capital's military administration, said eight people had been killed and reported falling debris, fires, and damaged buildings in Desniansky, Shevchenkivskyi and Solomyanski districts.
"Drones are targeting Kyiv from several directions. There is a threat of an attack in several stages," he added.
Separately, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 34 people had been injured and the first to sixth floors of an apartment building had been destroyed as a result of the strikes.
Pictures from the capital showed windows blown out and cars destroyed, with one witness saying they heard multiple explosions.
Dozens of people were forced into underground stations carrying sleeping bags, tents, children and pets as air raid sirens blared in the worst attacks on Ukraine since mid June.
Mr Zelensky cut short a visit to Dublin on Wednesday after receiving intelligence an attack was incoming.
On social media, he wrote: "We have information about another massive Russian strike - we have relevant intelligence data."
He added: "We know that Putin has been preparing a massive strike against Ukraine for some time. That is exactly the threat we are facing tonight."
The Ukrainian President said the Russian leader was "completely refusing to end the war", despite calls from Kyiv to enter meaningful negotiations.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Olha Stefanishyna said it was another "horrific night" for residents of the capital.
Nato member Poland briefly scrambled fighter jets in Thursday's early hours as a "preventive" measure to secure their airspace in response to the Russian aggression.
Strikes between the two countries has intensified recently, with Ukraine striking Russia's energy infrastructure.
Russia declared it conducted the massive attack using a combination air, land, and sea-launched drones in retaliation for Ukraine's recent attacks on infrastructure.
Moscow said it targeted military and energy facilities in Kyiv and military airports in several regions, including in Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk.
Russia has faced long queues at gas stations and record price increases, forcing Mr Putin to admit his country had faced "problems" as a result of Ukrainian drone strikes.
Mr Zelensky has offered to hold negotiations on the war multiple time in the last few weeks, but the Russian leader has rejected the calls.
In an act of increasing desperation, Russia, the world's second-largest crude oil exported, has been made to import 60,000 metric tons of gasoline from India, two sources told Reuters.