Ukrainian capital comes under ‘massive’ attack

KYIV – Almost every district in Kyiv was under “massive” attack on the morning of Nov 14, the Ukrainian capital’s mayor said, with one death reported and 30 residential buildings damaged across the city.

Missiles and drones were targeting critical infrastructure in the capital on Nov 14, said Mr Mykola Kalashnyk, the head of the Kyiv regional military administration.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called it a “massive enemy attack”, saying air defence forces were in operation.

An elderly woman was killed and at least 24 people, including a pregnant woman and a 10-year-old boy, were wounded in the attack that damaged 30 residential buildings in nine districts, Kyiv police said.

Ukrainian emergency services rescued more than 40 people from fires and destruction across the city.

“Sections of heating networks were damaged,” Mr Klitschko wrote on messaging platform Telegram, with some buildings in north-eastern Desnyansky district temporarily left without heat.

Electricity and water supplies could also be disrupted, he added.

Transport was partially blocked, city administration authorities said, with buses and trams delayed.

AFP news agency journalists saw tracer bullets used against drones and several anti-missile systems deployed.

Officials said falling debris and fires damaged high-rise apartment buildings, a school, a medical facility and administrative buildings in areas scattered throughout the city of about three million.

“The Russians are hitting residential buildings. There are a great many damaged multi-storey apartment buildings in practically every district,” Mr Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

He said both drones and missiles had been deployed, and emergency crews were dispatched to several neighbourhoods.

Pictures on social media showed different sites in flames and residents gathering in rubble-strewn streets outside apartment buildings.

The governor of Kyiv region outside the capital said drone and missile attacks injured one person and triggered fires in several localities.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian drones and guided bombs were

targeting several other regions

.

Entrenched war

The attack comes as

Kyiv’s Western allies ratchet up pressure on Russia

.

On Nov 12, Canada unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s drone and energy production, as well as infrastructure used to launch cyber attacks.

Group of Seven foreign ministers that day called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, voicing “unwavering” support for the country’s territorial integrity.

The European Commission is considering using part of Russia’s assets frozen after its invasion to provide Kyiv with a loan for budgetary and military support over the next two years.

But after almost four years of war, both sides are heavily entrenched, with Moscow rejecting ceasefire calls and efforts by US President Donald Trump to revive a long-stalled peace deal.

Russian forces have been grinding across eastern Ukraine for months, trying to take control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Russia said on Nov 10 that it captured three more villages along the sprawling front line, where it is pressing its advantage in manpower and equipment.

Experts say Russia’s latest strikes on energy infrastructure are putting Ukraine at risk of heating outages ahead of the winter months.

Ukraine has in turn stepped up attacks on Russian infrastructure and sought to strike further beyond the front.

Russian forces downed more than 200 Ukrainian drones overnight into Nov 14, Moscow’s Defence Ministry said, including 66 over Krasnodar Krai and 45 over Saratov in the south.

A fire broke out at the Sheskharis oil refinery – one of the largest in Russia – in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, before being brought under control, Krasnodar Krai authorities said.

A civilian vessel there was also damaged, with three of the crew wounded and hospitalised, they added. AFP, REUTERS