Russian forces hit Kyiv with a missile strike late Thursday shortly after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moscow said it targeted a military site, though the assault will be interpreted as a sign of contempt for global leaders who’ve resisted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The targeted plant is reportedly involved in making the type of Neptune missile that Ukraine says it used to destroy the flagship of the Black Sea fleet, according to the BBC.
Yet residential buildings appeared to be struck, too. A Ukrainian journalist for the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty — Vira Hyrych — was reportedly killed in one attack, the service said on its Telegram channel.
Russia also struck Kyiv two weeks ago in retaliation after the sinking of the Moskva warship.
Ukrainian forces chased the Russians away from the capital, shifting the war’s focus to the eastern part of the country.
The U.K. Ministry of Defence on Friday said controlling the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain Russia’s main focus, though progress has been slow.
“Due to strong Ukrainian resistance, Russian territorial gains have been limited and achieved at significant cost to Russian forces,” it tweeted in a daily update.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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