One killed in Russian rush-hour airstrike on Kyiv, city officials say

A Russian missile strike killed at least one person and damaged buildings across the Ukrainian capital during the morning rush hour on Friday, city officials said.

Residents in the city centre heard loud explosions and fires broke out in several buildings, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said.

Photos from the site showed the wrecked roof of an office block with blown out windows in central Kyiv and firefighters extinguishing a fire after a car was heavily damaged on the street below.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said one person had been killed in the attack. The Kyiv city administration said 11 people had been injured, including five who had been taken to hospital.

Russian forces, who launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, used eight missiles in the attack including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and Iskander/KN-23 ballistic missiles, Popko said earlier on Friday.

Ukraine's air force said it had shot down all five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles used to attack the capital.

The Russian Defence Ministry said it had struck a command centre used by Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency, a site which it said was involved in the designing and construction of missiles and a U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system.

"The goals of the strike have been achieved. All targets have been hit," the ministry said.

Reuters was unable to verify the reports by either side.

Russia has been carrying out airstrikes on Kyiv and other targets, particularly energy infrastructure, as its forces advance in the industrial Donbas region on eastern Ukraine before expected peace efforts next year.

Amid concern in Kyiv that Donald Trump could cut American support for its war effort when he returns to the White House next month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the U.S. president-elect on Thursday to ally with Europe to stop Russia.