Russia intensified its attacks on Kyiv early Wednesday, launching a combined assault of drones and missiles on the capital for the first time in over 70 days, local authorities reported.
The attack coincided with new warnings from the U.S. State Department, which echoed Ukrainian claims that North Korean troops have begun "engaging in combat operations" alongside Russian forces near Ukraine’s border.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted four missiles and downed 37 drones launched by Russia across eight regions overnight and into Wednesday morning.
AFP journalists heard explosions across Kyiv and saw dozens of people sheltering in an underground metro station in the city center.
Kyiv officials said one man was injured by falling debris from a downed drone in the suburb of Brovary. Emergency services shared images of firefighters working to extinguish flames at one impact site.
"It is important that our forces have the means to defend the country from Russian terror," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to the attack.
For months, Ukraine has urged its Western allies to provide more air defense systems to counter Russian strikes on cities and critical infrastructure.
Wednesday's large-scale bombardment comes at a pivotal moment on the battlefield, with Russian forces advancing in the east and growing concerns over future U.S. aid following Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election last week.
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