Ukraine updates: Evacuations in Kyiv after new drone assault

Ukrainian authorities evacuated residents of a high-rise residential building in Kyiv in the early hours of Tuesday, after it sustained damage in the latest Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian capital.

Falling debris sparked a fire in the building, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

He added that at least one person was killed due to the fire in the district. Twenty people were evacuated, with an elderly woman hospitalized, Klitschko added.

"Massive attack! Stay indoors!" the mayor said.

Kyiv's military administration said air defense forces destroyed over 20 drones in the attacks.

Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said the attack was conducted using Iranian-made Shahed drones alone.

Falling debris sparked fires also in the capital's southern Darnytskyi district and central Pechersky district, the mayor said.

Russia had fired a barrage of missiles at the Ukrainian capital on Monday in an unusual daytime attack. Russian forces often attack Kyiv overnight.

Here are some of the other developments concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, May 30:

Zelenskyy asks South Korea for anti-aircraft systems

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged South Korea for anti-aircraft systems to ward off Russian attacks, telling a South Korean newspaper he "desperately hopes" Seoul would provide defensive military equipment.

Zelenskyy thanked the South Korean government for pledging to send some $230 million (approximately €214.5 million) worth of demining vehicles and humanitarian aid. However, he stressed Kyiv's wishlist comprised anti-aircraft and early warning systems.

"I know there are many limitations regarding weapons support, but those principles should not be applied to defense systems and equipment for protecting our assets," he told the Chosun Ilbo daily via an interpreter.

He argued that an anti-aircraft system was not a weapon but rather a defensive equipment.

"We have to have a sky shield to rebuild Ukraine, and I desperately hope that South Korea will support us in this area," he said.

Ukrainian Defense Minister calls for 'fighter jet coalition' for Ukraine

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has proposed that Germany offer Ukraine Eurofighter fighter jets support, in collaboration with Britain, as Kyiv keeps calling upon Western allies to extend their arms support to fighter jets.

Reznikov told Germany's Funke Mediengruppe newspaper on Tuesday that such a move would be "an important step."

He referenced the already existing coalition on providing Ukraine with battle tanks. After an extended debate earlier in the year, Germany agreed to provide Kyiv with Leopard 2 tanks, the US with Abrams and the UK with Challengers.

"In the same way, we could form a fighter jet coalition with the core F-16 model as well as Eurofighters and Gripen," Reznikov said.

Earlier in May, US President Joe Biden told G7 leaders the US would support the training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation multirole fighter jets, including the F-16.

rmt/wd (AFP, Reuters)