Kyiv rocked by powerful explosions; force issues nationwide air alert

Kyiv was rocked by several powerful explosions on Saturday as Russia launched missile and drone attacks across the Ukrainian capital, wounding at least 11 people, including two children, authorities said. The strikes hit multiple residential and industrial areas, leaving fires and destruction in their wake.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, urged residents to stay in shelters, posting on Telegram: “Explosions in the capital. Air defense forces are operating. Stay in shelters!” The city’s head of military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, confirmed that the attacks affected seven locations across Kyiv, including high-rise residential buildings in the Dnipro and Darnytsia districts. Emergency crews rushed to contain fires and rescue those trapped under rubble, including one person in the Vyshhorod area.

AFP journalists reported hearing loud explosions throughout the city, some accompanied by bright flashes that lit the horizon orange. Ukraine’s air force also issued a countrywide air alert in the early hours of Saturday, warning that drones and missiles were moving over several regions.

The attacks come just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida to discuss a proposed plan to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands since 2022. The 20-point proposal reportedly includes freezing the current front line and the potential creation of demilitarised buffer zones in the east. Russia has accused Zelensky and EU backers of attempting to “torpedo” the U.S.-brokered plan.

The latest strikes underline the fragile security situation in Kyiv even as diplomatic efforts intensify, highlighting the ongoing human toll of the nearly four-year conflict. (With inputs from Agencies)