KYIV: Ukraine said Monday (Jun 23) “another massive attack” on Kyiv by Russian drones was underway, a day after the country’s top military commander vowed to increase the “scale and depth” of strikes on Russia.
Diplomatic efforts to end the three-year war have stalled, with the last direct meeting between the two sides almost three weeks ago and no follow-up talks scheduled.
“Another massive attack on the capital. Possibly, several waves of enemy drones,” said a statement from Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.
Two people were hospitalised in the Solomianski district, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, and two others were injured near a metro station in the Sviatochinski district, Tkachenko later said.
AFP journalists in Kyiv heard the buzzing of a drone flying over the city centre and explosions, as well as gunfire.
They saw around 10 people sheltering in the basement of a residential building in central Kyiv waiting for the attack to end, most of them scrolling their phones for news.
The latest strikes came after Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky vowed to intensify strikes on Russia.
“We will not just sit in defence. Because this brings nothing and eventually leads to the fact that we still retreat, lose people and territories,” he told reporters, including AFP.
Syrsky said Ukraine would continue its strikes on Russian military targets, which he said had proved “effective”.
“Of course, we will continue. We will increase the scale and depth,” he said.
