Dozens hurt, children’s hospital damaged, in Russian missile attack on Kyiv | Russia-Ukraine war News

Officials warn number of injured could rise after second missile attack on Ukrainian capital this week.

At least 45 people have been injured and a children’s hospital as well as homes damaged after Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

People were woken at about 3am (01:00 GMT) by a series of loud explosions as air defence systems brought down a series of missiles aimed at the capital.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 45 people were injured after debris from the intercepted missiles fell on the eastern side of the Dnipro river that runs through the capital. Eighteen people including two children were taken to hospital, while the others were treated at the scene.

An apartment building, a private house and several cars caught fire, while the windows and entrance to a children’s hospital in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi District were broken, Klitschko said. Falling rocket debris also damaged the water supply system.

The specific weapons Russia used in the attack were not immediately known.

On Monday, a Russian missile attack destroyed several homes on the outskirts of Kyiv injuring four people and cutting electricity to more than 100 households.

The attack came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the United States, urging right-wing Republicans to back billions of dollars in new military aid for his country.

US President Joe Biden warned the lawmakers they would risk giving Russia a “Christmas gift” if they failed to approve the assistance.

The latest attack also damaged buildings in Kyiv’s Desnyanskyi and Darnytskyi districts.

Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said most injuries came from windows blown out by the blast wave.

“There are many injured,” Popko said, suggesting that the number of wounded may rise.