Kyiv faced a barrage of ballistic missiles shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered diplomats to leave the city. Thick smoke was seen rising over the Ukrainian capital on June 2, prompting residents to seek safety underground. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed a fire at an apartment building caused by debris from a nearby non-residential structure that had caught fire.
There were reports of locals trapped under rubble near the building, with uncertainty over any casualties. Residents sought refuge in subway stations equipped with sleeping bags and camping gear to escape the attacks. Klitschko reported car fires in the Obolon district due to falling missile debris and fires in open areas, including near a kindergarten.
The Ukrainian Air Force warned citizens of incoming ballistic missiles before urging them to find shelter. Russia launched attacks on Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia following missile firings believed to have originated from the Caspian Sea towards Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky had cautioned of a potential “massive” Russian strike.
Intelligence alerts about Russian strikes remained active, with concerns over a significant attack being prepared. Days earlier, Russia had advised foreign nationals and diplomats to leave promptly, cautioning civilians to avoid government and military buildings. The missile strikes were seen as retaliation for a recent drone attack on a dormitory in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Luhansk region, claimed to have resulted in 21 deaths by Russia, a claim Ukraine strongly refuted.
