A total of 11 Iranian-supplied drones were shot down early Wednesday over Kyiv and the surrounding region, in what Ukrainian authorities described as a continuation of Russia’s “energy terror” against the country.
The Kyiv city administration said two of its administrative buildings had been damaged by falling drone debris. There were no casualties from the wreckage of the drone, Kyiv rescue services spokeswoman Svitlana Vodolaga told Ukrainian news outlet Suspline.
The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, wrote in a Telegram post that there were explosions in the capital’s central Shevchenkivskyi district, which is home to many government agencies and buildings, and that 10 Iranian-made drones had been shot down. City officials said an 11th drone was later shot down shortly after 8 a.m.
Several this morning in the central Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv. It is not clear what has been affected. The sound of a drone can be heard in a video posted on Trukha Kyiv. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko says emergency services are on site pic.twitter.com/eU8ervdvDq
— Isobel Koshiw (@IKoshiw) December 14, 2022
“Russia continues with the energy terror of the country. But we are stronger every day,” Kyiv region chief Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram. Kuleba warned that the airstrike alert was not over and advised residents to stay in shelters .
Vitaliy Bunenchenko, the head of Kyiv’s neighboring Zhytomyr region, has warned that a second wave of drones could be on the way.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, posted a muscle emoji with the abbreviation anti-aircraft systems, referring to the work of Ukraine’s air defenses.
The UK ambassador said she was “staying away from the windows and hearing explosions outside”.
Stay away from windows and hear explosions outside. Early start today for 🇷🇺 attacks in #Kiev
— Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) December 14, 2022
Air raid sirens sounded shortly before 6 a.m. Kyiv time, and the first explosions were reported just over 10 minutes later. Around 6:30 a.m., residents in central Kyiv posted videos in which the sound of a drone flying overhead could be heard followed by an explosion. Residents also posted images of plumes of smoke over the capital’s skyline.
Ukraine has faced a barrage of Russian airstrikes across the country in recent weeks, largely targeting infrastructure.
U.S. officials said Tuesday they were ready to approve the delivery of a battery of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, granting an urgent request from leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed Western leaders on Monday to provide more advanced weapons to help his country in its war with Russia. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine.
US officials say Moscow has been looking to Iran to resupply the Russian military with drones and surface-to-surface missiles.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this story