Russia continued airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. In a statement on social media, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the strikes, which targeted five different districts of the capital, caused severe damage to apartment buildings and other civilian structures and sparked fires.
Klitschko said nine civilians were killed and the number of wounded exceeded 30, including four children. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also commented, describing the night as "hellish in Kyiv." Sybiha stated, "Russia, unable to achieve its objectives on the battlefield, is intensifying airstrikes and terror against civilians. Ukraine urgently needs additional air and missile defense systems, as well as interceptor missiles."
This was the second major assault on Kyiv this week. Earlier, on Thursday, nine civilians had been killed, including six members of the same family in a village near Kryvyi Rih. Around the same time, a suspected Russian cruise missile fell on Polish territory.
Military analysts say that although Russia's advance on the front has slowed this year, intense fighting continues along the more than 1,200-kilometer front line.