Kyiv on alert after air attack, one injured

An alert was in effect for Kyiv yesterday after an "air attack", the city's military administration announced, with the mayor citing an explosion in one district that left one person injured.

The air attack triggered the Kyiv region air defence system
The air attack triggered the Kyiv region air defence system. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@BuschModelar

Monday's early morning attack comes after a New Year assault by Russia that saw Kyiv and other cities under fire from missiles and Iranian-made drones.

The warning from Kyiv's military administration came just after 1 am local time (2300 GMT).

"Air attack on Kyiv… Air alert is on in the capital," it announced on the messaging app Telegram.

The city's military administration head, Serhiy Popko, called for people to "stay in shelters".

Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an explosion in Kyiv's northeastern Desnyanskyi district and said "emergency services are on their way".

"An injured 19-year-old man was hospitalised in the Desnyanskyi district of the capital," he said around 1:20 am.

The air attack triggered the Kyiv region air defence system, said Oleksii Kuleba, the head of Kyiv region's military administration.

"Danger persists in Kyiv region! Our air defence forces are working on the targets," he said. "The main thing now is to stay calm and stay in shelters until the alarm is off."

On Saturday, attacks by Russian forces killed three people in Kyiv and other cities, and a fresh attack Sunday killed one person in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia.