Big explosion rocks Ukrainian capital Kyiv

By Jeyhun Aliyev

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) – A huge explosion was heard early Friday in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv as the war launched by Russia entered its ninth day.

No information on the blast was immediately available from officials.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and UK among others implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

According to UN figures, 227 civilians in Ukraine have been killed and 525 injured since the start of the war.

However, Ukrainian authorities put the death toll at more than 2,000.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries.