Russia confirmed on Thursday that it has launched multiple missile attacks on Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
The attacks occurred during the visit of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to Ukraine.
In a statement made by the Russian Ministry of Defense, it was stated that “high-precision” and long-range missiles were used in the attack targeting the Artiom missile and spacecraft factory in Kiev.
It was stated that the airstrikes also hit 10 “military” targets and three power plants in Ukraine.
These claims have not yet been confirmed by independent sources.
The Russian statement did not mention the attack on an apartment in Kiev.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said on Friday that a body has so far been recovered from the rubble of a 25-story apartment building in the capital’s Shevchenkivski district.
Ukraine acknowledged that the offensive by Russian forces in the east had inflicted heavy casualties; but claimed that Russia also suffered “massive” losses.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Guterres described the attack as “shocking”.
A journalist died
Journalist Vira Hyrych was also killed in the attack on Kiev.
Hyrych, 55, was an employee of the US-backed media outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The radio statement said the journalist’s body was found this morning after a missile hit his home in Kiev, calling the producer a “true professional”.
The number of journalists who have died in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion on February 24 has approached 10.
Reactions to attacks
The missile attack, which took place the day after Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and shortly after meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy, sparked international criticism and Kiev’s backlash.
On Friday, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov described the attacks as “an attack on the security of the secretary-general and world security”. Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba also condemned the attacks as “an act of heinous barbarism”.
In his speech at night, Zelenskiy said that the attack aimed to “humiliate” the UN and said, “This is Russia’s real attitude towards global institutions. It requires a strong response.”
Germany said the attack was “inhumane” and said it “strongly condemned the Russian missile attack on Kiev while Guterres was in talks”. Government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner accused Russia of “no respect whatsoever for international law”.
Ukraine acknowledged heavy casualties as Russian forces intensified their offensive to fully capture the eastern Donbas region; however, the Russian army claimed that the losses were even heavier.
In the statement made by Zelinskiy’s office, it was stated that Russia hit the entire front line in Donetsk, one of the two regions in Donbas, with rockets, artillery, mortar bombs and planes, while the Ukrainian general staff said that Russia bombed positions along the contact line.
Evacuations from Mariupol
In a statement made by Zelenskiy’s office, it was stated that an operation is planned to evacuate civilians from the southeastern port city of Mariupol in Ukraine.
“An operation is planned for the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal (iron and steel) factory for today,” the statement said.
It is stated that hundreds of civilians also took shelter in the factory, which is the last point of resistance of the Ukrainian troops in the besieged city. Russia announced last week that it had taken full control of Mariupol, with the exception of the Azovstal factory complex.