Russian drone strike on central Kyiv kills 14-year-old boy, injures at least seven

A Russian drone hit a high-rise residential building in central Kyiv on Friday morning, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring at least seven other people, Ukrainian officials said.

Police said the strike hit a 16-storey residential building in the Pechersk district. A Reuters journalist heard an explosion near the centre of the city.

The overnight barrage was part of one of Russia’s largest drone attacks in weeks: Ukraine’s air force said 295 drones were launched from the evening of 24 September, of which air defences destroyed or jammed 267, with hits recorded at 16 locations.

Emergency services said one person was injured in the overnight attack on the capital, with fires breaking out in non-residential buildings in two districts. The Russian defence ministry said its forces carried out overnight drone strikes on Ukrainian defence industry facilities, logistics centres and vessels used by Ukraine’s armed forces.

Separately, the governor of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said one person was killed and another injured in what he called “massive” Russian strikes on a residential area and the logistics premises of a postal operator.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. Reuters notes that Kyiv and its surroundings have faced near-constant barrages in recent weeks from faster, higher-flying drones that are harder to intercept.

Sources

• Russian drone hits central Kyiv killing a child, injuring at least seven people, Ukrainian officials say – Reuters
• Russia launches nearly 300 drones overnight, Ukraine destroys 267 – Ukrainska Pravda