A red alert has been issued in the wake of Russian airstrikes targeting major cities in Ukraine. Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the country’s president, said 120 missiles were fired at civilian infrastructure.
Two major explosions occurred in the capital, Kiev. However, it is not yet clear whether these were caused by missile strikes or air defenses. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people, including a baby girl, were hospitalized after the explosion in Kiev.
Explosions were also heard in the cities of Kharkiv, Odessa, Lviv and Zhytomyr. Maxim Marchenko, the regional leader of the southern Odesa province, said that a large-scale missile attack was carried out on Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force says Russia is attacking from different directions with air and sea-based cruise missiles. Several kamikaze drones were also used in the attack.
An airstrike warning was issued in all parts of the country on Thursday morning. Oleksii Arestovich, another adviser to the president, also urged civilians to seek refuge elsewhere.
In recent weeks, dozens of attacks have been carried out in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power. Lviv’s mayor said Thursday that 90 percent of his city was without electricity.
Earlier, Ukraine reported 60 to 70 missile attacks this month. However, Russia has denied targeting civilians.
