Multiple fires reported following Russian missile strikes on Kyiv

Multiple explosions were reported in Kyiv after Russian missile strikes hit Ukraine’s capital, according to local media and witnesses. Footage showed several cars and buildings engulfed in flames.

Explosions in several districts of Kyiv were reported around 7 a.m. on Friday, according to the Kyiv Independent. At least one person was killed and another three have been hospitalized following the strikes.

Footage shared by witnesses and local media showed several vehicles on fire, a large building with its roof on fire and severely damaged, and a warehouse ablaze after the strikes. Videos also showed an office building with most of its windows blown out.

Prior to the strikes, the Ukrainian Air Force issued a warning about a potential missile threat after a MiG-31 fighter jet took off from a Russian airbase. According to the Kyiv Independent, the jet is capable of firing Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. However, the type of missiles that struck the city and the intended targets remain unclear.

It is also uncertain if Friday’s strikes are a direct response to the assassination of a top Russian general on Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of the radiological, biological, and chemical protection forces, was killed by a remote bomb hidden in a scooter outside an apartment building in Moscow. The attack was claimed by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), according to CNN.