Russian drones swarm Kyiv for hours: Officials

Russian drones swarmed the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv into the early hours of Friday morning, officials said, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

More than four hours into an air raid alert, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, noted drone attacks at 13 locations in five districts on both sides of the Dnipro River bisecting the city.

Tkachenko said many of the targets had been dwellings.

Reuters witnesses heard strings of explosions and constant barrages of fire as air defense units tried to down the drones.

“At the same time, there is no end to the attacks,” Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. “There are a great many targets over Kyiv. We are working on Russian drones in all districts.”

Two fires had broken out in Svyatoshynskyi district in the west of the city, and Tkachenko said injuries were likely. Drones triggered two fires on a roof and in a courtyard in buildings in adjacent Solomanskyi district.

Tkachenko and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko had earlier reported a fire on the roof of a 16-story apartment building in a northern suburb.

Video on local media showed residents bedding down in subway stations in anticipation of further attacks.