MOSCOW/KYIV: In what Moscow dubbed “response” to Ukrainian strike using Western missiles on a chemical plant, Russian missiles targeted Kyiv at sunrise on Friday, killing at least one person and damaging six diplomatic missions in the centre of Kyiv.

Russia said it targeted arms industry and security service targets in strikes on the Ukrainian capital.

“In response to the actions of the Kyiv regime, supported by its Western handlers, a combined strike with long-range precision weapons was launched today,” the defence ministry stated.

The ministry said it had targeted an office of the SBU security service and a defence industry site, and that “all the targets have been struck”.

“There were explosions after explosions in a row,” said 45-year-old Ksenia, who was staying at a hotel near the site of a wreckage.

Ukrainian foreign ministry says strikes damaged six diplomatic missions

The Ukrainian air force, however, said it downed all five Iskander missiles Russia launched at the capital, but that debris caused damage in several districts.

According to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, the strikes damaged a building housing the diplomatic missions of Portugal, Albania, Argen­tina, Palestine, North Macedonia, and Montene­gro.

The strikes also killed a 53-year-old man and wounded 12 people, most suffering from shrapnel injuries, the city administration of Kyiv said.

“Another heinous Russian attack against Kyiv,” European Commis­sion chief Ursula von der Leyen posted on X.

“Putin’s disregard for international law reaches new heights.”

In the absence of the Russian ambassador in Lisbon, the charg d’affai­res of the Russian Federation has been summoned to be presented with a protest, the Portu­guese government said.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024