Russian forces used three ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads during an overnight attack on Kyiv on 22 October.
This was reported by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I received reports on efforts to deal with the aftermath of Russian attacks on our cities and communities. Overnight, Russian forces used, among other weapons, three ballistic missiles with cluster warheads against Kyiv. The distinctive feature of these missiles is that they explode in the air as they approach their targets, striking everything within a 400-metre radius," Zelensky said.
According to the President, one of these missiles struck Pechersk, the historic centre of Kyiv, specifically the area between the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the Holy Presentation Monastery.
Buildings belonging to the monastery, residential buildings, shops, cafés and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.
"This is another extremely revealing strike — revealing precisely because it was not accidental. It was a deliberate choice of weapon, a deliberate choice of the area in which to use it, and a deliberate attempt to inflict maximum casualties and damage on civilians. There was not even theoretically a single military facility nearby, and the weapon itself was designed to cause widespread destruction. Russia has not changed its approach to waging this war and is taking no steps that would indicate a genuine desire to end it," Zelensky stressed.
He added that air raid alerts and attacks continued throughout the day in Kyiv and many other cities.
In Kharkiv, an urban commuter train was struck. Dnipro, Marhanets, Mykolaiv and Kherson also came under attack, along with towns and villages in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Rivne regions.
Attacks on energy infrastructure are continuing. Since 11 October, more than 170 strikes have hit critical energy facilities, despite Ukrainian air defence forces managing to intercept a significant proportion of Shahed drones and some missiles, Zelensky noted.
The President thanked all of Ukraine's international partners who are helping restore the country's energy infrastructure.
"Our intelligence services have informed us that Russian forces have identified their priorities for further attacks against Ukrainians in the coming weeks. It is clear that Russia is taking advantage of the slowdown in air defence deliveries from our partners. It is equally clear that the easing of pressure on Russia by certain partners only convinces Putin that his objectives are supposedly achievable. Different signals and different steps are needed — stronger ones," Zelensky emphasised.
He instructed Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, together with the military command and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to inform international partners about all aspects of the situation on the ground and existing threats, based on intelligence reports.
"It is important to accelerate the delivery of defence packages that have already been agreed. I thank all the leaders and countries that are helping!" Zelensky concluded.
