Live: Blasts rock Ukraine’s capital Kyiv
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Issued on: 10/10/2022 – 06:53
Several loud blasts rocked central Kyiv early on Monday, local officials said, as the UN General Assembly was set to open debate on a draft resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions. Read our live blog for the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT + 2).
8:05am: First strike on Kyiv in many months
Monday’s explosions mark the first time in several months that Ukraine’s capital is targeted.
They come a day after a huge explosion damaged the bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea, a major supply route for Moscow’s forces in southern Ukraine.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin said the explosion was the result of “a terrorist act” masterminded by Ukrainian special services.
7:35am: Loud blasts rock central Kyiv, mayor says
Several explosions hit the centre of Kyiv early on Monday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said, with a Reuters witness reporting a cloud of black smoke rising from buildings.
“Several explosions in the Shevchenskivskyi district – in the centre of the capital,” Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. “Details later.”
AFP journalists in the Ukrainian capital reported hearing three loud blasts in the city centre.
The explosions took place around 0815 local time (0515 GMT), with air raid sirens sounding in the Ukrainian capital more than an hour before the blasts.
6:18am: UN to take up Russian annexations in Ukraine
The UN General Assembly is set to open debate on a draft resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, as Western powers seek to underscore Moscow’s international isolation.
The decision to bring the matter before the General Assembly, where the 193 UN members have one vote each—and no one wields veto power—was taken after Russia used its veto in a Security Council meeting September 30 to block a similar proposal.
“It’s extremely important,” said Olof Skoog, who, as EU ambassador to the world body, drafted the text in cooperation with Ukraine and other countries.
A failure by the General Assembly to act—a vote is expected no sooner than Wednesday—would give “carte blanche to other countries to do likewise or to give recognition to what Russia has done”, the Swedish diplomat told reporters.
A draft of the resolution seen by AFP condemns Russia’s “attempted illegal annexations” of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson following “so-called referendums,” and it stresses that these actions have “no validity under international law”.
In response, Russia has addressed a letter to all member states in which it attacks “Western delegations” whose actions “have nothing to do with protection of international law and the principles of the UN Charter”.
3:47am: Fresh Russian shelling hits residential building in Zaporizhzhia
Overnight shelling of the city of Zaporizhzhia destroyed a multi-storey apartment building causing injuries, Oleksandr Starukh, governor of the broader Zaporizhzhia region said early on Monday.
“As a result of a missile attack in the centre of Zaporizhzhia, a multi-storey residential building was destroyed again,” Starukh said on the Telegram messaging app. “There are injured.”
An early Sunday strike on the city killed at least 13 people and injured 87 others, including 10 children.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
