Ukraine war: Kyiv hit by 'exceptionally dense' missile and drone attack

May 16: The Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been targeted by further Russian air attacks, described by one official as "exceptional in density".

Ukraine said all 18 missiles were shot down and footage showed air defences destroying targets over the city.

At least three people were injured during the barrage, which used both drones and missiles, officials said.

Russia has stepped up its air campaign in recent weeks, ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive in the south.

The air raid alert sounded at around 02:30 local time (23:30 GMT Monday) and was lifted two hours later in the eighth attack to hit the capital this month.

An unusually high number of loud explosions was heard in the city centre, as authorities told residents in online messages that air defence had been activated.

The head of Ukraine's armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhny, said Russia attacked Kyiv from the north, south and east and that 18 air, sea and land-based missiles had been used.

Serhiy Popko, head of the Ukrainian capital's military administration, described the barrage as being the "maximum number of attack missiles in the shortest period of time".

"According to preliminary information, the vast majority of enemy targets in the airspace of Kyiv were detected and destroyed," he added.

Kyiv residents were warned to keep away from windows as debris from intercepted missiles fell from the sky.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said rocket debris had fallen in central districts, including on the city's zoo. No animals or workers were injured.

The Solomyansky district, which includes the international airport, is reported to have been the hardest hit.

Mr Popko said that a fire that broke out in a non-residential in the district has since been put out.

Russia's resumption of strikes on Kyiv earlier this month came after a lull of over 50 days. The Ukrainian authorities believe Moscow's strategy is to exhaust the air defence systems, which have been extremely successful in intercepting most of the missiles and drones fired.

In the past few days, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been on a European tour, in which he has been promised several billion dollars worth of military equipment by Western allies, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Emmanuel Macron of France.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of civilians and combatants have been killed or injured, cities and towns have been destroyed in the fighting, and nearly 8.2 million Ukrainians have been registered as refugees in Europe, with 2.8 million of them in Russia.

(BBC)