Kyiv hit by explosions during air raid alert

Kyiv experienced a barrage of explosions shortly after midnight Wednesday, as air raid sirens wailed and the Ukrainian air force warned of incoming ballistic missiles. A journalist for AFP confirmed hearing about a dozen powerful blasts in the capital. This follows months of escalating long-range strikes by both Ukraine and Russia, which have led to a growing number of civilian casualties.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted civilian sites in Russia and occupied territories, including oil and logistics facilities, with drone attacks. One such strike on Tuesday morning hit warehouses belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries in the Moscow region, killing five people and injuring ten. Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported the casualties, noting the high toll for an area far from the front lines.

Meanwhile, Russia continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. In the northeastern Sumy region, two children and an elderly person died overnight from Russian guided air bombs. Regional Governor Oleg Grygorov confirmed the discovery of the children's bodies in the rubble of their home. Another Russian attack in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, claimed the life of an 89-year-old woman, according to regional military administration head Gueorgui Rechetilov.