• Source:JND
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A mass Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine's capital Sunday killed at least two people and left smoke rising from the roof of a key government building. Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyiv's cabinet of ministers building, but it was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit, which would mark an escalation in Russia's air campaign.

Russia has so far avoided targeting government buildings in the city centre. The Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the attack and said it was the first time when the Russian drones hit government buildings since the war began in February 2022.

The building is the home of Ukraine's Cabinet, housing the offices of its ministers. Police blocked access to the building as fire trucks and ambulances arrived.

Two killed in Russian drone attack

Ukrainian officials said two people were killed and 15 injured in the attack. Among the dead was a 1-year-old child, whose body was dug out of the rubble by rescuers, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration.

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"For the first time, the Government building was damaged by an enemy strike its roof and upper floors," Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, said on the Telegram messaging app. "Rescuers are extinguishing the fire." Reuters' witnesses saw the top floor of the main building of the Ukrainian government, located in the historic Pecherskyi district, burning, with thick smoke rising into the clear blue sky just after sunrise.

Ukraine Air Force says 805 drones hit country

Ukraine's Air Force said on Telegram that Russia launched 805 drones into Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles. That was the highest number of drones Russia has used to attack the country since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Timur Tkachenko, the head of the capital's military administration, said that the infant's body was pulled from the rubble in the Darnytskyi district where a four-storey apartment building was damaged.

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Russian drone debris struck a nine-story residential building in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district, according to Mayor Vitallii Klitschko.
Sunday's attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in the span of two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane. 

(With inputs from agencies)