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Russian strike kills 3 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy faces pressure at home

From Al Jazeera · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Russia launched a large ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, killing at least three people and wounding 20.
  • Explosions hit multiple districts, causing a residential building to collapse and damaging a children's hospital.
  • The strike occurred as President Zelenskyy confirmed Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister, a career intelligence official.

Russia launched a large ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, overnight, killing at least three people and wounding 20 others. Explosions rocked several districts shortly after midnight on Wednesday, shattering windows, triggering car alarms, and causing a nine-story residential building to collapse and catch fire in the Solomianskyi district. A children's hospital in the same area also sustained damage.

Three people died in the capital, and 20 others were wounded, with 14 taken to hospital.

— Vitali KlitschkoKyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko provided an update on the casualties from the Russian missile strike.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that people were trapped in the damaged residential building and that parts of the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts lost electricity. Ukraine's Air Force had warned of incoming ballistic missiles, including Russian Zircon missiles fired from the Kursk region, urging residents to seek shelter.

I will do everything to defend Ukraine, to reduce Russia’s war potential as much as possible, and to force the enemy into a just peace.

— Yevhenii KhmaraThe newly appointed Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara addressed parliament before his confirmation vote.

The attack coincided with a significant political development in Ukraine: the confirmation of Yevhenii Khmara as the country's new defense minister. Lawmakers approved his appointment with a substantial majority. Khmara, a career intelligence official who previously led the Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha special operations unit, pledged to "do everything to defend Ukraine, to reduce Russia’s war potential as much as possible, and to force the enemy into a just peace."

Ukraine needs more strength. And it will have it.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyyPresident Zelenskyy commented on the confirmation of Yevhenii Khmara as the new defense minister.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy framed Khmara's confirmation as a move to "give Ukraine more strength." However, not all lawmakers were convinced. Opposition member Solomiia Bobrovska called Khmara's transition from intelligence work "a mistake," despite personally praising him. Khmara fills the vacancy left by Mykhailo Fedorov, who was ousted following a public disagreement with the armed forces commander-in-chief.

Pulling Khmara from intelligence work was a mistake.

— Solomiia BobrovskaOpposition lawmaker Solomiia Bobrovska expressed her reservations about the new defense minister's background.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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