Air raid alerts sound across Ukraine, including capital Kyiv

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Air raid alerts have been declared across all regions of Ukraine on Wednesday, including the capital Kyiv, with the Crimea region excluded.

Local officials from all Ukrainian regions said there is a strong possibility of Russian airstrikes through their Telegram accounts, urging civilians to take shelter.

Only the region of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, was calm, according to the air raid alert map published by authorities on Telegram.

The alerts are issued by local authorities in Ukraine almost on a daily basis due to possible missile and drone strikes which have recently targeted civilian and energy infrastructures.

Russian forces launched a new series of airstrikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities over the past weeks, after an explosion hit Russia’s key Kerch Bridge connecting the country with the Crimean peninsula.

Moscow launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine in February, which besides casualties and displacements, led to an energy crisis and affected the global economy.​​​​​​​