Ukrainian officials reported today, Wednesday, that the second missile attack by Russia on Kyiv this week resulted in at least 53 injuries and damaged homes and a children's hospital. This occurred while President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Washington for more assistance for his country.
Sergiy Popko, the head of the military administration in Kyiv, stated on Telegram that Ukrainian air defense systems shot down all missiles targeting the capital around 3:00 AM (01:00 GMT). The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear. Officials noted that falling debris caused injuries and damage in three areas of Kyiv on the eastern side of the Dnipro River, which runs through the capital.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported via Telegram that windows and entrances were shattered due to debris at a children's hospital in the Dniprovskiy district of Kyiv, but initial assessments did not indicate any injuries. The specific weapons used by Russia in the attack were not immediately known. This followed a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv early on Monday, which resulted in four injuries.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Republicans on Tuesday that they would be giving Russia a "Christmas gift" if military aid to Zelensky was not increased, following his meeting with a senior U.S. lawmaker that ended without a commitment for additional support. No comments were made by Russia regarding the attack today, which also caused damage to buildings in the Desniansky and Darnytsia districts of Kyiv.
Both Moscow and Kyiv deny targeting civilians in the nearly 22-month war that Russia launched against its neighbor in 2022. The air force also reported shooting down all ten attack drones launched by Russia over the Odesa region in southern Ukraine. Popko indicated that 17 people, including seven children, were evacuated from a residential building in the Dniprovskiy district after debris struck the building and nearby cars, causing a fire. He added that most of the injuries stemmed from windows shattered by the blast wave.
In another development, Andriy Yermak, head of President Zelensky's office, stated today, Wednesday, that the effectiveness of Western weapons cannot be questioned, after the Ukrainian air force announced that it shot down ten ballistic missiles launched by Russia the night before. Yermak noted on Telegram: "The effectiveness of Western weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers cannot be questioned." He added: "However, there are casualties due to the falling debris of Russian missiles and houses that caught fire. Kyiv is being bombarded with ballistic missiles."
