Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Kyiv came under a combined Russian aerial attack in the early hours of Feb. 26, with ballistic missiles and attack drones launched toward the capital, local authorities reported.
Strikes and damage were simultaneously reported in several other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyrvyi Rih, where residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were hit as the attack unfolded.
Explosions first took place in Ukraine’s capital at around 4:00 a.m. local time, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground, as Ukrainian air defense systems engaged incoming targets.
Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said Russia was attacking the city with both UAVs and ballistic missiles, urging residents to remain in shelters until the air raid alert is lifted.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that air defenses were operating in the city and warned residents to stay in safe locations as interceptions continued.
Monitoring channels also reported the possible launch of additional missiles from Russian strategic aircraft, suggesting further strikes could follow. Information on damage or casualties in Kyiv was not immediately available.
Elsewhere, authorities quickly reported casualties and structural damage as the attack expanded beyond the capital.
In Kharkiv, officials reported a direct strike on a residential high-rise in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district, with at least 8 people reportedly injured, according to Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terehov***.***
In Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said that several floors of an apartment building caught fire, with one person reported trapped inside. A shopping center and a private home were also damaged in the attack. 6 people have been injured, with one hospitalized in unknown condition.
Meanwhile, a strike on Kryvyi Rih injured two people, including an 89-year-old man, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported. The attack sparked a fire in a high-rise residential building.
Authorities said information on casualties and the full scale of damage is still being updated.
Read also: Most of Ukraine remains exposed to Russian ballistic missiles, Zelensky says
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