Dozens Of Ukrainians Injured In Russian Ballistic Missile Attack Against Kyiv

Damage to Kyiv due to kamikaze drone attacks and Russian ballistic missiles. (Wikimedia Commons/State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Russia's second missile attack in Kyiv this week injured at least 53 Ukrainians, destroying children's homes and hospitals, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday, when President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington DC seeking more help to Ukraine.

The windows of the apartment blocks where the residences were broken and the frightened residents rushed to the streets to assess the damage. The missile debris created a large hole in the ground and destroyed a parked car.

Ukraine's air defense system dropped 10 ballistic missiles aimed at the capital at around 03.00 local time, the Ukrainian Air Force said via Telegram.

The debris that fell caused injuries and damage to four districts in Kyiv along the Dnipro River, which divides the capital, officials said. Meanwhile, city military administration said thirty-five buildings were damaged.

Ukraine's national police said 53 people, including six children, were injured as a result of the attack. Eight of them have been hospitalized, he said in a social media post.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces identified the projectile as the Iskander-M ballistic missile, as well as the S-400, a high-speed missile aimed at air defense, but also used to carry out ground attacks.

Ukraine's chief of presidential staff, Andriy Yermak, praised the Western-backed air defense system and its operators, after Ukraine shot down the 10 systems.

"West arms efficacy in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers cannot be doubted," Yermak said via the Telegram messaging app.

As a result of the attack, windows and entrances were destroyed by debris at a children's hospital in Dniprovskyi District, Kyiv. However, based on an initial assessment, there were no casualties, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko via Telegram.

Puing also hit several residential buildings in Dniprovskyi District. The water supply in the district is damaged.

Chief of military administration Kyiv Serhiy Popko said 17 people, including seven children, were evacuated from a residential building in Dniprovskyi District after debris hit a nearby building and car, causing a fire.

He added that most of the injured victims came from windows that were broken due to the blast wave.

"There are a lot of people who are injured," said Popko.

The attack came after a ballistic missile attack targeting Kyiv on Monday morning and injured four people.

There has been no comment from Russia on Wednesday's attack, which also damaged buildings in Desnyanskyi, Darnitskyi and Holosiivskyi districts in the Kyiv region.