CNN
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The one-night Russian drone and missile attack on Kiev killed at least 14 people and injured at least 55 people, officials said Tuesday in the deadliest strikes over the capital in weeks.
Kiev residents heard the big sirens until the end of Monday and early Tuesday morning, making it a loud, sleepless night for many in the city. The sirens continued when they broke Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Of the injured people, more than 40 were taken to hospital, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said residential buildings and other infrastructure were suffering severe damage.
“We hope that no deaths will be found under the tile rub, but we cannot rule them out,” he added. “The death toll could increase.”
In April, Russia launched 70 missiles and 145 drones towards Ukraine, targeting mostly the capital, killing at least 12 people and wounding another 90 people.
The video obtained by CNN showed it next to a devastated façade of the destroyed multi-story apartment block and rescue crews and a huge pile of garbage and tiled rubs.
“During the attack through Tuesday in the Solomiyansky area, a 62-year-old US citizen died in a home opposite to the one where Medic is providing assistance to the victims,” Klitschko said without detail in a message about the Telegram.
Emergency personnel and police were working to rescue injured people in a building that appeared to have partially collapsed, according to a video posted by Ukraine’s provincial emergency services.
Smoke could be seen rising from the scene, and the debris was scattered across the ground. The vehicle in front of the building was burnt and destroyed.
Ukrainian President Voldimer Zelensky said more than 440 drones and 32 missiles had been released overnight in Ukraine.
About 27 locations in different districts fired, according to a statement from Ukrainian Home Minister Ihol Klimenko.
“Rescuers, police and doctors are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clean the tiles and save lives,” he said.
The strike comes when Trump announces that he will return to Washington a day earlier from a group of Canada’s seven summits.
His early departure means he misses a key meeting with Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky on the bystander of the event.
It would have been the third meeting of leaders since Trump took office in January.
Ukrainian officials hoped that a positive interaction with Trump would advance Kiev’s case as Russia has stepped up its air attacks in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shuig arrived in Pyongyang on a “special mission” from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to the Russian state communications agency TASS.
Shoigu is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jongun, Tass reported Tuesday.
Pyongyang continues its support for Moscow’s Ukrainian war, in order for world leaders to end the three-year conflict.
North Korea has sent soldiers, including missiles and rockets, and millions of munitions to Russia for the past year.
The US warns that Russia may be closer to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Ukraine.
Under Trump, the US has not been willing to directly equip Ukraine, which has been heavily abandoned, urged its European partners to pick up more support and threatened to leave peace talks entirely.
