Explosions Rock Kyiv as Ukraine Braces for Broad Russian Attack

Explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Monday as Ukrainian officials warned of a large-scale Russian missile strike aimed at targets across the country.

The missile approached Kyiv at about 5 am local time and air defenses appeared to be working, Andriy Yermak, senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement that the first missile entered the airspace above the capital. He did not provide additional details.

Air raid sirens warn of more attacks across Ukraine. A spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern command, Natalia Humeniuk, said the depot fire was part of preparations for “a large-scale offensive that everyone expects” Ukraine to launch soon.

Signals of hasty strikes escalated fighting by the two forces in a months-long conflict marked by advances in small towns and deadly shootings on the front lines and across the border between the two countries. Both sides said they were preparing for a counter-attack that would make any attempt to gain territory.

The explosion in Kyiv came hours after Russia attacked Pavlograd in central Ukraine, causing huge fires to light up the night sky. As images of the explosion circulated on social media, the city government urged residents to seek shelter and not “walk around the city.”