Putin turns world upside down again: Russia launches new missile strikes on Kyiv DURING UN Secretary-General’s visit to Ukrainian capital, just two days after he met in Moscow for talks with dictator
- Russian missiles hit Kyiv during visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
- Guterres was in Moscow just two days ago to sit at Putin’s long table
- It is the first such bombing of the Ukrainian capital since mid-April
- No casualty reports so far, but Guterres believed he was safe
- Kiev Mayor Klitschko said there were “two hits in the Shevchenkovsky district”.
Vladimir Putin has fired new rockets at Kyiv during the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, just two days after his meeting with the Russian dictator in Moscow.
There was no immediate information on casualties from the strikes, which hit a western part of the city center, but a close aide to the UN chief sent a message to journalists confirming they were safe.
Guterres visited Putin to discuss the urgent need for Russian forces to allow humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations.
The missile attack can be viewed as Putin’s non-diplomatic response to Guterres’ pleas.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram post that there had been “two hits in Shevchenkovsky district” and said they were clarifying details about victims.
Russian missiles hit Kyiv as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits. It is the first such bombing of the Ukrainian capital since mid-April
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram post that there had been “two hits in Shevchenkovsky district” and said they were clarifying details about victims
Vladimir Putin (above) ordered the strikes just two days after he himself sat in Moscow for talks with Guterres. It was the first strike in the Ukrainian capital since mid-April
There was no immediate information on casualties from the strikes, which hit a western part of the city center, but a close aide to the UN chief sent a message to journalists confirming they were safe
AFP correspondents saw black smoke billowing and a building ablaze with a heavy presence of police and emergency services in the area.
“Missile attacks in downtown Kyiv during @antonioguterres official visit,” tweeted Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The day before he was sitting at a long table in the Kremlin and today there are explosions above his head,” Mykhaylo said, referring to Guterres’ visit to Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin a few days ago.
The attack on the Ukrainian capital comes as the Russian offensive in the Donbass region gathers momentum.
Several areas came under heavy shelling on Thursday amid suspicions that Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming for a major success on the battlefield in time for Victory Day, one of Russia’s proudest holidays, on May 9.