Several loud explosions rocked central Kyiv early Monday, local officials said, as the United Nations General Assembly was due to begin a debate on a draft resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions. Read our live blog for the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT + 2).
07:35: Loud explosions in central Kyiv, says the mayor
Several explosions hit the center of Kyiv early Monday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said, with a Reuters witness reporting a cloud of black smoke rising from buildings.
“Several explosions in the Shevchenskivskyi district – in the center of the capital,” Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. “Details later.”
AFP journalists in the Ukrainian capital reported hearing three loud explosions in the city center.
The blasts took place around 0815 local time (0515 GMT), with air raid sirens sounding in the Ukrainian capital more than an hour before the blasts.
06:18: The UN addresses Russian annexations in Ukraine
The UN General Assembly will begin a debate on a draft resolution condemning Russias annexation of four Ukrainian regions, as Western powers try to underline Moscow’s international isolation.
The decision to bring the issue to the General Assembly, where the 193 UN members have one vote each – and none has veto power – was taken after Russia used its veto in a Safety advice meeting on September 30 to block a similar proposal.
“It is extremely important,” says Olof Skoog, who, in his capacity as EU ambassador to the world body, drafted the text in cooperation with Ukraine and other countries.
A failure by the General Assembly to act – a vote is not expected until Wednesday – would give “carte blanche to other countries to do the same or to give recognition to what Russia has done,” the Swedish diplomat told reporters.
A draft of the resolution seen by AFP condemns Russia’s “attempted illegal annexations” of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson following “so-called referendums”, stressing that these actions have “no validity under international law”.
In response, Russia has addressed a letter to all member states attacking “Western delegations” whose actions “have nothing to do with the protection of international law and the principles of the UN Charter”.
03:47: New Russian shelling hits residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia
Overnight shelling of the city of Zaporizhzhia destroyed a multi-storey building and caused damage, Oleksandr Starukh, governor of the wider Zaporizhzhia region, said early Monday.
“As a result of a missile attack in the center of Zaporizhzhia, a multi-storey residential building was destroyed again,” Starukh said on the Telegram messaging app. “There are casualties.”
An early Sunday attack on the city killed at least 13 people and injured 87 others, including 10 children.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
Originally published on France24
Source: sn.dk