Explosions rock the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as reports flood in, accompanied by the blaring sirens of air raid warnings.
Videos circulating on social media capture the spectacle of air defense systems intercepting and shooting down suspected Russian missiles.
Amidst the chaos, the government issues urgent messages advising citizens to steer clear of windows due to falling debris from the intercepted missiles.
Vitali Klitschko, the city’s mayor, confirms that rocket fragments have descended upon central districts, even reaching the city’s zoo.
Disturbingly, there are accounts of injuries resulting from the ongoing situation.
Recent days have witnessed President Volodymyr Zelensky embarking on a European tour, during which he secured several billion dollars’ worth of military equipment pledges from Western allies.
Prominent figures such as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron have vowed their support.
Tragically, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, the conflict has exacted a heavy toll.
Countless lives, both civilian and combatant, have been lost or forever altered by injury.
Cities and towns bear the scars of extensive destruction, while the staggering number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe reaches 8.2 million, with a substantial portion of 2.8 million seeking shelter in Russia.
