Russia launches airstrikes on Kyiv of ‘exceptional’ intensity

KYIV, May 16 (Reuters) – Russia launched an exceptionally intense airstrike on Kyiv early on Tuesday, using drones, ships and possibly ballistic missiles, as Ukraine’s capital suffered its eighth airstrike this month, city officials said.

“It is exceptional in its density – the maximum number of offensive missiles in a very short period of time,” Serhii Babko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said in comments posted on the Telegram messaging app.

“According to preliminary reports, most of the enemy targets in Gavin’s airspace have been detected and destroyed!”

It was not immediately clear how many missiles were shot down on the city and whether any of them managed to hit their targets.

After a week-long hiatus, Russia resumed its tactic of long-range missile strikes in late April and has repeatedly targeted Kai in recent days. Ukraine has repelled most of the attacks so far.

Debris fell on Obolonskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Solomyanskyi and Darnytskyi districts of Kyiv on Tuesday, officials said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said falling debris set fire to several cars and damaged a building in the Solomyanskyi district, west of the capital. Three people were injured.

South of Boryspil, Klitschko said air defense systems were repelling a drone attack. Boryspil, southeast of Kiev, is home to the capital’s main passenger airport, which is now closed.

The army administration said the damage in other districts was not significant and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine early Tuesday, and were heard in Kyiv and its region for more than three hours.

(This story has been reprinted to correct the byline)

Reporting by Gleb Garanich and Sergiy Karazy in Kyiv; Lydia Kelly writing in Melbourne; Editing by Christopher Cushing

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