Photos: Ukraine assesses damage as Russian strikes hit Kyiv | Gallery News

Loud blasts have been heard in central Kyiv as Russian troops pushed closer to the Ukrainian capital.

“Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv,” Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba posted on Twitter after the explosions were heard in the city on Friday morning.

Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said three people were injured with one in a critical condition after “missile debris” hit a residential building.

Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the interior minister, wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had downed an enemy aircraft, which crashed into a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv and set it on fire.

Russian missiles and shelling rained down on Ukrainian cities on Thursday and Friday after President Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale ground invasion and air assault, forcing civilians to shelter on metro systems.

Russia’s forces pressed deep into Ukraine as deadly battles reached the outskirts of Kyiv and the West responded with punishing sanctions.