Missiles pound Kyiv ahead of Russia invasion anniversary

Explosions rocked Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early on Sunday with officials warning of a ballistic missile attack, just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

- AFP

Ukraine will mark four years since Russia's initial assault.

(AFP)

AFP journalists in Kyiv heard a series of blasts starting at around 4am (0200 GMT), shortly after an air raid alert was issued, with the air force later widening the alert warning nationwide citing the threat of missiles.

“The enemy is attacking the capital with ballistic weapons,” the head of Kyiv’s military administration Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram, urging people to remain in shelters.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that two wounded people, a woman and a child, were rushed to hospitals from the suburbs.

The Ukrainian capital, regularly targeted by Russian missile and drone attacks since the start of the invasion on 24 February 2022, has faced waves of overnight strikes in recent weeks as Moscow has intensified its winter assaults on energy and military infrastructure.