Kyiv police bomb technicians, SES sappers remove ballistic missile with unexploded warhead

On Wednesday morning, an unexploded Russian ballistic missile was discovered amidst residential buildings in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district following a massive overnight attack. Bomb disposal experts and State Emergency Service (DSNS) crews were dispatched to secure the area, remove the missile’s warhead, and transport it for neutralization.

The Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv reported that the missile had been launched at the capital overnight and had been found in a residential area. The police advisory urged citizens not to approach the site of the operation.

The capital experienced several missile strikes, with the first one occurring around 3:23 a.m. and a second at approximately 5 a.m. A fire damaged a 200 square meter area at a local garage cooperative, leading to the discovery of two victims.

The overnight attack also caused significant damage to the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, an esteemed Ukrainian film studio. The studio indicated that one of its three soundstages sustained damage but no casualties were reported. Additionally, the central warehouse of ATL Autoservice, a major automotive goods chain, was completely destroyed, storing oils, batteries, and car accessories. The company reassured its employees and partners that it remained financially stable and would continue to fulfill obligations.

In another unfortunate incident, the “Sadyba Niushanyk” bird rehabilitation center in the Kyiv region was entirely destroyed by the combined attack involving drones and ballistic missiles. The co-founder of the center, Iryna Snopko, confirmed that the bird infirmary, chicken coop, and quail enclosure were destroyed, along with birds, a cat, and all equipment.

The center specialized in caring for birds of prey and waterfowl, including storks, swans, owls, hawks, and kestrels. Many birds had severe injuries and could not be returned to the wild.