Four dead in Kiev in wave of Russian overnight strikes

Russia deployed about 430 drones as well as missiles and cruise missiles in a new series of deadly overnight attacks on Ukraine, including on the capital Kiev, Ukrainian officials said on Friday.

At least four people were killed and 27 others injured in the capital, according to military administrator Tymur Tkachenko. Fifteen of the injured are being treated in hospital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it on social media as a “sneak attack” aimed at civilian infrastructure and published photos and videos showing heavily damaged houses.

The Azerbaijani embassy in the capital was also hit by debris from a missile. According to Zelensky, Kiev was the main target of the attack, but the region around the capital and the Kharkiv and Odessa regions were also hit.

Writing on Telegram, Kiev’s mayor Vitali Klitschko reported damage to numerous residential buildings and several fires. As the district heating network was damaged, the heat supply was partially interrupted, he said.

Zelensky called for more sanctions against Russia. Ukraine also needs to strengthen its air defence with additional systems and interceptor missiles, he said, repeating a long-standing request to the country’s Western military backers.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three and a half years.