Sawt Falasteen - Ukrainian capital comes under 'massive' attack

Moscow, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has intensified its attacks on infrastructure, particularly targeting Ukrainian energy facilities and rail systems, as well as residential areas, in recent months.

Missiles and drones were targeting critical infrastructure in the capital on Friday, said Mykola Kalashnyk, the head of the Kyiv regional military administration.

Mayor Vitaly Klitschko called it a "massive enemy attack", saying air defence forces were in operation.

One person was killed and at least 15 wounded in the attack, according to the Ukrainian emergency services, which added that "more than 40 people have been rescued" from fires and destruction across the city.

Earlier, Klitschko reported fires or damage to buildings in eight of Kyiv's 10 districts, saying medical emergency teams were deployed to all of them.

He said a pregnant woman was among those hospitalised as well as a man in "extremely serious condition".

"Sections of heating networks were damaged," he wrote on Telegram, with some buildings in northeastern Desnyansky district temporarily left without heat.

Electricity and water supplies could also be disrupted, he added.

AFP journalists saw tracer bullets used against drones and several anti-missile systems deployed.

"Russians are hitting residential buildings. There are a lot of damaged high-rise buildings throughout Kyiv, almost in every district," Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city's military administration, wrote on social media.

- Entrenched war -

The attack comes as Kyiv's Western allies ratchet up pressure on Russia.

On Wednesday, Canada unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia's drone and energy production, as well as infrastructure used to launch cyberattacks.

G7 foreign ministers that day called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, voicing "unwavering" support for the country's territorial integrity.

And the European Commission is considering using part of Russia's assets frozen after its invasion to provide Kyiv with a loan for budgetary and military support over the next two years.

But after almost four years of war, both sides are heavily entrenched with Moscow rejecting ceasefire calls and efforts by US President Donald Trump to revive a long-stalled peace deal.

Russian forces have been grinding across eastern Ukraine for months, trying to take control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Russia said Monday it had captured three more villages along the sprawling front line, where it is pressing its advantage in manpower and equipment.

Experts say Russia's latest strikes on energy infrastructure are putting Ukraine at risk of heating outages ahead of the winter months.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST