Russian forces attack Ukrainian capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles, trigger fires

Aug 5 (Reuters) – Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with waves of ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, triggering fires in a 20-storey apartment block and other buildings, the city’s mayor said.

“In the Obolonskyi district, a fire broke out in a 20-story residential building, likely due to a missile hit,” Vitali Klitschko said, referring to a northern suburb of the city of 3 million.

He said debris from a fallen missile had landed next to a residential building and there were also reports of a fire in another apartment block. A large blaze had broken out on the city’s outskirts.

The city’s military administration, writing on Telegram, said warehouse buildings had been set ablaze in two districts.

“The danger remains high,” the administration’s post said.

There was no indication of casualties in the attack.

Reuters witnesses said explosions had been heard throughout the city. Klitschko said air defence units were in action to repel the assault.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Sanjeev Miglani)