KYIV: One person has been killed and several embassies damaged in a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine.
The Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed the death and reported 12 people injured, with five hospitalized.
The attack came after Russian President Putin challenged Ukrainian President Zelensky to a “duel” during a conference.
Zelensky responded harshly, calling Putin a “dumbass” in an online post following Putin’s public remarks on Thursday.
Russia fired five ballistic missiles at Kyiv at 7 a.m. on Friday, all of which were shot down.
In addition, Ukrainian air defenses also destroyed 40 UAVs and intercepted 20 other drones before they reached their targets.
Falling debris from the intercepted missiles caused fires and damage in Kyiv’s city center, officials confirmed.
Several embassies, including Albania, Argentina, and Portugal, suffered damage in the attack, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
In one district, a gas pipe was damaged and five cars caught fire. A construction site also ignited.
Russia’s defense ministry stated that the missile attack targeted military sites, including the Kyiv Luch design bureau and the SBU command post.
The ministry justified the missile barrage as retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a Russian chemical plant earlier in the week.
Russian defense officials also claimed all their missile targets in Kyiv were hit and destroyed successfully.
In response, Zelensky called for more sanctions against Russia and expressed gratitude for increased air defense system support from allies.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its offensive, with Russian shelling in Kherson killing two people and injuring 10.
The attack on Kherson happened while Russian forces attempted to make territorial advances in the southern region.