A correspondent reporting from Ukraine’s capital has described the "devastating" aftermath of Thursday’s missile attacks, with rescue teams searching for survivors amid widespread destruction.
“It’s heavily damaged. I don’t know if you can see, but inside everything is completely shattered. Nothing is working. Everything is closed,” Amira Barkhush, correspondent for UNITED24 Media, told GB News while standing at one of the strike locations in Kyiv.
Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed Thursday that it had conducted extensive long-range operations against Ukrainian military infrastructure, deploying hypersonic Kinzhal missiles amongst other weaponry.
Ms Barkhush told GB News: "All around me, rescue work is underway.
Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed Thursday that it had conducted extensive long-range operations against Ukrainian military infrastructurE
|GB NEWS
"Across the street, two schools are damaged. Nearby, a residential building is also damaged. And this is just one site in Kyiv.
"As of now, 19 people have been pronounced dead and up to 10 people are missing possibly trapped under the rubble. It’s a devastating strike today.
"I don’t know what peace deal we’re talking about, because after the Alaska meeting the strikes have only got worse. What can I say?"
She added: "It’s been happening all summer. It’s nothing new, really. I guess they’re changing their tactics a bit.
"Today I was speaking to the press officer at the State Emergency Service, and she said there’s a new pattern.
"Previously, Russia would send out a drone first and then follow it up with missiles.
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"But today it was different they sent the missiles first and then followed up with drones.
"I don’t know what the goal is with that, but it’s clearly a shift. The press officer also said more double taps are happening.
"It seems Russia is deliberately trying to target and hit the rescue workers who rush to the scene straight away, because it’s their job and they cannot hit back."
'It seems Russia is deliberately trying to target and hit the rescue workers who rush to the scene straight away'
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Ukrainian forces have reported intercepting numerous incoming projectiles, but confirmed that Russian munitions successfully struck 13 separate locations, causing additional destruction from falling debris.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s defence capabilities continue to expand.
Officials have announced the production of the Flamingo cruise missile, capable of striking targets up to 3,000 kilometres away while carrying payloads approaching 1,000 kilograms.
The new weapon bears notable similarities to the FP-5 system, which British-UAE defence manufacturer Milanion Group displayed at an Abu Dhabi weapons exhibition earlier this year.
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