Russian ballistic missiles slam Kyiv right as air raid alarms sound
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Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Multiple explosions rocked Kyiv the evening of Oct. 18 as Russia launched ballistic missiles at the capital.
Residents had little warning before the missiles struck. The explosions were simultaneous with the blaring of air raid sirens, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground.
Phone alerts went off moments before the blasts, while the street sirens began "howling during the explosions," Chief Editor Olga Rudenko reported.
A medical center in the Desnianskyi district was hit in the strike, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Another building was hit in the Dniprovskyi district.
Emergency services have been dispatched to the attack sites, the mayor said. No information is yet available as to the extent of the damage or any possible casualties.
The sudden ballistic missile strike came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky said the U.S. had resumed intelligence sharing with Ukraine about Russian missile launches.
It can be common, however, for Russia's high-speed ballistic missiles to hit with very little advance warning. Kyiv Independent Reporter Kateryna Denisova said she had about three minutes to shelter between receiving the mobile alert and the first explosions, which is "usual when there's a ballistic missile threat."
Ukrainian officials have previously explained that satellite surveillance of launch sites can be vulnerable to transmission delays. Current weather conditions may also cause interference with the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites surveilling the region.
