Russia Launches Dozens Of Drones And Missiles To Ukrainian Cities When EU Chief Policy Is In Kyiv

The impact of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. (Twitter/@ZelenskyyUa)

JAKARTA - Russia launched missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during rush hour Wednesday morning, killing three people, injuring dozens of other people, burning the capital, Ukrainian officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said two people had died in the capital Kyiv and one in Mykolayiv in the south of the country.

"Another massive attack on our country. Six regions are under enemy attack. All of our services are now working to overcome the consequences of this terror," President Zelensky said on Telegram.

Ukraine's air defenses shot down 44 missiles and drones from 64 Russian-launched in several waves of attacks, said Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.

City officials Kyiv said at least 14 people were injured in various areas of the capital. Firefighters are putting out several major fires. Emergency workers are trying to save people from a multi-storey apartment building in Golosiivskyi District, southwest of the capital.

Russian missile debris also damaged several power lines that resulted in power outages in parts of Kyiv. About 40 private cars and one car repair shop were damaged.

Maksym Kozytskyi, governor of the western Lviv region, said an industrial facility was hit by an attack in the city of Drogobych.

Meanwhile, Synehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, said Russian missiles hit non-residential infrastructure in Kharkiv City, the region's administrative center.

All of Ukraine is on air strike alert for more than two hours. The first explosion was heard before 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) in Kyiv.

"We are surrounded, we survive. This is not the worst thing that can happen. People on the front lines experience the worst thing, they have to fend off the invaders. We will definitely survive," said IT worker Vitalii Bachynskyi who took refuge with his wife and two children.

"It didn't break our spirits at all. We will wait for victory," he said.

Separately, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, who was in Kyiv on a two-day visit to underscore support for Ukraine, posted images on social media platform X from the shelter.

"Starting in the morning I was in a shelter when the air alarm sounded all over Kyiv," he said.

Borrell is in discussions with top Ukrainian officials on EU military and financial support, as well as Kyiv's progress on its reform path is part of efforts to join the 27-member bloc.

Another massive Russian air attack against our country. Six regions came under enemy fire. All of our services are currently working to eliminate the consequences of this terror.In Mykolaiv, dozens of houses were destroyed and one person was killed. More than ten people were… pic.twitter.com/ATkwA5JxXR

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 7, 2024

Another massive Russian air attack against our country. Six regions came under emergency fire. All of our services are currently working to eliminate the consequences of this terror. In Mykolaiv, the families of houses were destroyed and one person was killed. More than ten people were... pic.twitter.com / ATkwA5JxXR