The nighttime airstrikes hit residential buildings, a high-rise, a children’s hospital, and a school, authorities said. Multiple fires and power outages occurred, and many people sought shelter in the subway. In the Kyiv region, authorities reported one more death and seven injured.
Mayor Klitschko announced on Telegram that August 21 would be declared a day of mourning in Kyiv. Flags on municipal buildings are to be lowered to half-mast. Cleanup of the damage is ongoing, he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described a massive combined attack with rockets, cruise missiles, and drones. The Russians had prepared for a long time to damage civilian infrastructure as much as possible. There is also destruction in the Odesa and Chernihiv regions.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the attack on Kyiv, saying it struck arms factories and warehouses for ammunition and drones. Russia has recently increased its use of ballistic missiles in airstrikes, while Ukraine daily complains of a shortage of air defense missiles. Zelensky again demanded Patriot interceptor missiles.
Source: www.zeit.de
