CNN quoted information from the Kiev City Military Agency as saying that at least 1 person was killed and 12 others were injured in the attack on the morning of December 20 local time, of which 5 people had to be hospitalized and the rest were treated at the scene.
The attack came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin challenged Ukraine to a "double-handed fight" at a year-end press conference on December 19.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, Russia fired 5 ballistic missiles at Kiev at around 7am on December 20. Ukraine said all of these missiles were shot down by air defense forces. However, debris from the interceptions caused damage and casualties in the city centre.
In one district, an office building, road surface and gas pipes were damaged, and five cars caught fire, according to Serhiy Popko, head of the Kiev City Military Agency. In another area, a fire broke out at a construction site.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that many international embassies housed in the same building were damaged in the attack. The embassies affected included Albania, Argentina, Palestine, North Macedonia, Portugal and Montenegro.
Portugal confirmed that its facility suffered minor damage and summoned Russian representatives to protest.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it had deployed long-range missiles against Ukrainian military targets in response to an earlier attack on a chemical plant in Russia's Rostov region. The attack is believed to have used ATACMS missiles provided by the US.
According to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, the targets included the headquarters of the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine), the Kiev Luch design workshop - which produces the Neptune and Olkha missile systems - and locations of the patriot air defense system. All targets were hit, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for further sanctions against Russia following the attack. He also thanked international partners for their readiness to provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine.
In another development, the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine was also focused on by Russia with fireworks. According to the Kherson military regime, the attacks killed two people and injured 10 others.
