Reuters quoted a source from Ukrainian officials as saying that Russia launched an unmanned aerial attack (UAV) on the capital Kiev in the early morning of January 1 (local time), causing damage to infrastructure and casualties.
Local authorities said that debris from the downed UAV damaged a facility of the National Bank of Ukraine and a neighboring building.
According to the Ukrainian Emergency Services Agency, the airstrike killed two people and injured at least six others. The UAVs, which Ukrainian officials say are Russian, destroyed two floors of an apartment building.
The Ukrainian Air Force immediately issued a warning after detecting UAVs heading towards the city. Several loud explosions were heard.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the air defense forces quickly intercepted the UAVs.
Photos of the scene show firefighters and rescue workers extinguishing the fire and helping the victims escape the fire.
The Kiev military said it had shot down 63 UAVs, while 46 others were disabled by electronic jamming. A total of 111 UAVs are believed to have been deployed by Moscow overnight on December 31, 2024 to the morning of January 1, 2025 in various regions of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media: "Russia only thinks about attacking Ukraine on New Year's Eve."
On the same day, a UAV shelling believed to be Russian in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed a 23-year-old volunteer, according to Ukrainian officials.
Kherson region governor Oleksandr Prokudin said a seriously injured resident died at the hospital.
