Kyiv mayor reports explosions in center of Ukrainian capital

KYIV, Ukraine — The mayor of Kyiv reported multiple explosions in the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday, the first such time in weeks during Russia’s ongoing war against the country.

Vitali Klitschko wrote in a post on Telegram that there were explosions in a central district of the capital that is home to many government agencies and buildings. He said municipal teams were in place and more details were expected.

The reported blasts come as Ukraine has faced a barrage of Russian air strikes across the country, largely targeting infrastructure, in recent weeks as well as continued fighting along the front lines in the eastern and southern regions.

It was not immediately clear what the targets were, or whether civilian, administrative or military sites were the aim.

U.S. officials said Tuesday the United States was poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed Western leaders as recently as Monday to provide more advanced weapons to help his country in its war with Russia. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine to help repel Russian aerial attacks in the war between the countries that erupted with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

U.S. officials also said last week that Moscow has been looking to Iran to resupply the Russian military with drones and surface-to-surface missiles.

Ukrainian authorities said that during the latest round of volleys on Dec. 5, more than 60 of 70 strikes were intercepted by air defense systems. Klitschko said Ukrainian forces shot down 10 self-explosive drones over Kyiv and the region Wednesday.