Russia bombards Kyiv with drone, missile strikes, killing 1, injuring 6
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
At least one person was killed and six were injured as repeated explosions rocked Kyiv, and several fires broke out across Ukraine's capital during a mass Russian drone and missile attack overnight on July 21.
Throughout the night, all of Ukraine was under threat of attack from Russian missiles and drones several times despite President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to hold peace talks with Moscow in Turkey next week.
Following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Erdogan a day earlier, Zelensky on July 19 announced that Kyiv has proposed a new round of peace talks with Moscow next week.
"Dialogue with the Russian side on prisoner exchanges is ongoing — we are continuing to implement the agreements reached during the earlier meeting in Istanbul," Zelensky said. "Our team is currently working on another exchange."
Russia has intensified strikes in recent weeks, targeting cities far from the frontline with drone and missile attacks.
"In the Darnytskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a non-residential building as a result of an attack. Details are being established," head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Tymur Tkachenko reported at 1:52 a.m. local time.
Explosions rocked Ukraine's capital, Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported at 2:16 a.m. local time, with additional explosions reported at 2:25 a.m. local time.
Explosions continued to erupt in Kyiv from about 3 a.m. until 4 a.m. local time, a reporter on the ground said.
Outdoor kiosks are burning in the capital's Dniprovskyi district, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
Smoke engulfed Kyiv's Lukianivska subway station as residents took shelter amid the Russian drone attack, local media reported.
"The entrance of the metro station was damaged as a result of the attack. No casualties reported so far," Tkachenko said afterwards.
Several fires are burning across Kyiv, including at residential buildings in the Shevchenkivskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, Klitschko reported.
A children's daycare caught fire amid the Russian attack on Ukraine's capital, with photos published by local media reportedly showing the building on fire.
There were no casualties at the daycare and the burning residential building in the Dniprovskyi district, Klitschko later reported.
One person was killed as a result of the Russian attack on Kyiv, Tkachenko reported, later adding that one more person was injured.
"Unfortunately, we have information about one person killed as a result of the attack," he said.
A second person was injured as a result of a fire in a residential building, Klitschko reported.
According to Kyiv police, the number of injured had risen to six as of 8:30 a.m. local time, including one teenager.
Kyiv Oblast's Military Administration first reported air defenses were operating at 11:40 p.m. local time on July 20.
All of Ukraine was under threat of attack by Russian missiles, the military administration said at 12:24 a.m. local time on July 21.
At 3 a.m. local time, an air raid alert was again issued for all of Ukraine as Russian jets took to the skies.
Meanwhile, in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk, air defenses were working, Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv reported at 3:13 a.m.
"In one of the community's villages, windows have been broken," he said at 5:09 a.m. local time, adding that there are reports of injuries.
Russian strikes continued to target the western oblast, Martsinkiv reported at 6:05 a.m.
"This is the largest attack since the full-scale invasion," he said as Russia intensified attacks on cities far from the front line.
Infrastructure was damaged in three villages, and there are reports of injuries in one village, Martsinkiv reported.
Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, prompting Kyiv's allies to toughen sanctions on Moscow and renew support for Ukraine.
On July 12, Russia continued renewed attacks on western Ukrainian cities, striking communities far from the front line with drone and missile attacks for the third straight night. Two people were killed and another 38 were injured in the Russian attack.
Russian attacks killed at least seven people and injured another 28 in Ukraine, regional authorities reported early on July 20.
