A Russian drone struck a high-rise residential building in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, killing a teenage girl and injuring five other people, authorities said.
An AFP reporter nearby saw a drone buzzing overhead before crashing into the building’s facade, erupting into a fireball that set several upper floors ablaze.
Medics quickly rushed to the scene of the attack, which took place in Kyiv’s western Solomianskyi district, while rescue workers evacuated over 100 people.
“There are already five injured. Preliminary, one person died,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram, adding later that the person killed was a teenage girl.
Ukrainian cities including Kyiv have been subjected to drone and missile attacks throughout Russia’s two-and-a-half year invasion.
Kyiv has been asking for more air defences from its allies ahead of what is likely to be its toughest winter yet, as Moscow ramps up strikes on energy infrastructure.
Dozens of panicked local residents were seen gathering outside the building after Friday’s attack.
Apartments on the 17th to 21st floors were damaged, according to Ukraine’s state rescue service.
Private entrepreneur Inna Moroz was in her apartment in the building opposite when she heard the explosion.
“I fell to the floor, then went to the window,” the 31-year-old told AFP.
She said an apartment on one of the upper floors was “engulfed in flames”.
“I saw people screaming and trying to knock out the windows with wooden sticks,” she said.
Pavel, a resident on the eighth floor, said he fled the building with his wife, two children and cat.
“This is a residential area of Kyiv. There are no military facilities here. I don’t know where we will spend the night tonight,” the 40-year-old said.
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