Explosions and Air Alert in Kyiv Following Zelenskyy's Warning of Russian Attack

Air raid sirens wailed across Kyiv as the Ukrainian capital braced for a potential "massive" Russian assault, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a stark warning. The city's military administration alerted residents to the danger, citing the threat of ballistic weapons.

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The Russians prepared a massive attack a few days ago, and there is a high probability that the attack will be carried out tonight

"Air alarm in Kyiv due to the danger of ballistic weapons use," the administration announced, urging citizens to "immediately seek the nearest shelters and stay there until the danger has passed." Zelenskyy had earlier stated on the social media platform X that Russians had been preparing a large-scale attack for several days and that there was a high probability of it occurring overnight.

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Air alarm in Kyiv due to the danger of ballistic weapons use. Seek the nearest shelters immediately and stay there until the danger has passed.

In a separate incident, a valuable Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet crashed while intercepting enemy targets. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the pilot ejected safely due to an onboard emergency. The F-16s, which Ukraine received in 2024 after extensive lobbying, are crucial for defending against Russian drones and missiles. This marks the latest in a series of crashes involving the aircraft during risky defense operations.

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Preliminary information suggests an emergency situation on board, the pilot had to eject