Children’s hospital struck in Russian missile attack on Kyiv

Another Russian attack in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih is said to have killed at least 10 people.

The assault is the biggest bombardment of Kyiv for several months.

The daylight attacks included Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, one of the most advanced Russian weapons, the Ukrainian air force said.

The Kinzhal flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it hard to intercept. City buildings shook from the blasts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had targeted five cities with more than 40 missiles of different types.

The attack struck Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine’s biggest children’s medical facility. There was no immediate word on casualties there.

The Kyiv city administration reported falling debris, presumably from intercepted missiles, in a handful of Kyiv areas, with fires breaking out. Thick plumes of smoke could be seen rising from several parts of the capital.

The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrii Yermal, said the attack occurred at a time when many people were in the city’s streets.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said official assessments of the attack’s consequences are still being carried out.

Explosions were also reported by local officials in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region.

The attack came on the eve of a three-day Nato summit in Washington, which will look at how to reassure Ukraine of the alliance’s unwavering support and offer Ukrainians hope that their country can come through Europe’s biggest conflict since the Second World War.