Russia launches missile strike on Ukraine with explosions reported in Kyiv

LONDON — A Russian missile strike killed at least one person in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as Moscow continued an intense period of long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine’s air force reported 23 missiles and 109 strike drones launched into the country overnight, of which 13 missiles and 40 drones were shot down, with another 53 drones lost in flight without causing damage.

Damage was reported in the Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy and Mykolaiv regions, the air force said.

In the capital, Klitschko said one person was killed and three people were injured, while fires broke out in “non-residential buildings.” One office building was also partly destroyed, he said.

Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, wrote on Telegram, “Russia is increasing the intensity of attacks and clearly does not want to cease fire, does not want peace. It wants to kill Ukrainians, our children.”

“The language of force is the only one that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin understands,” Yermak added. “All our partners must switch to this language.”

Zelenskyy said the strike proved that the “pressure on Russia is still not enough.”

“Such attacks are Putin’s response to all international diplomatic efforts,” Zelenskyy said in a statement posted to Telegram. “There can be no easing of pressure. It is worth directing all forces to ensure security and bring peace closer.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down 11 Ukrainian drones overnight over three Russian regions.

Both sides are continuing long-range attacks as U.S.-brokered ceasefire negotiations continue. Last month, both Kyiv and Moscow said they agreed to freeze strikes on energy infrastructure and end attacks in the Black Sea.

Both sides have since accused the other of repeatedly violating the agreement to pause attacks on energy infrastructure.

Ukraine has also accused Russia of intentionally targeting civilians in major strikes over the past week. On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih — Zelenskyy’s home town — killed 19 people, including nine children.

“Yes, the war must end,” Zelenskyy wrote in a Saturday morning statement. “But in order to end it, we must not be afraid to call a spade a spade. We must not be afraid to put pressure on the only one who continues this war and ignores all the world’s proposals to end it.”

“We must put pressure on Russia, which chooses to kill children instead of a ceasefire. We must introduce additional sanctions against those who cannot exist without ballistic strikes on neighboring people. We must do everything possible to save lives.”