Ukraine issued an air alert early Thursday after reports that a group of Russian bombers had taken off from a base in Russia, raising fears of more bombing.
The takeoff of several Tupolev Tu-95MS from the Olenya airfield located in the Murmansk region in northeastern Russia was recorded, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a message posted on the social network Telegram. Missiles “are heading towards kyiv”, she clarified a little later.
“Explosions in the city. Air defense is at work,” said the mayor of the capital, Vitali Klitschko, in a message on Telegram. The Air Force had already reported, at the beginning of February and last month, the takeoff of these strategic bombers which date from the Soviet era. At the end of December, Russia used these planes to carry out a wave of strikes on Ukrainian cities, including the capital kyiv, bombings which left 39 dead.