Russian missile kills two in Kiev apartment building

Russian forces fired more than 20 rockets into Ukraine’s capital on Saturday, killing at least two.

Kiev, the capital, was attacked for the eighth time this month as fears grew in Russia over a confrontation between Moscow’s military leadership and Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the outspoken founder of the Wagner mercenary group. The leadership accuses Mr. Prigozhin of trying to stage a coup against President Vladimir V. Putin.

Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said air defenses had shot down more than 20 missiles around the capital, but falling debris had hit a tall building and started a fire that destroyed three floors. In addition to the dead, eight were injured, he wrote on Telegram.

Just after dawn, smoke was still billowing from the building as firefighters used a crane to assess damage to the 16th, 17th and 18th floors. Residents carefully stepped over the broken glass and construction debris scattered in the parking lot below.

Two women, their legs riddled with minor wounds, walked out of the building. One was wrapped in a blanket; the other wore only a robe.

Residents of Kiev were awakened from their sleep just before 2:30 a.m. local time when air-raid sirens blared. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported explosions while other officials said air defenses were working and urging people to take shelter.

Volodymyr and Iryna Kuts awoke in their 19th-floor apartment to a bang as debris ripped through the floors below.

“I don’t know how we survived,” said 65-year-old Mr Kuts. Their windows were blown out and smoke filled the air.

“We were just cuddling and thinking we were going to suffocate,” Ms Kuts, 62, said. They eventually made their way down the stairs, helped by police officers.

Outside the building, dozens of residents milled about, many looking at the charred and gaping hole torn in the side.

Dymytro Romanov, 42, lives in a nearby high-rise and said it was a matter of chance that his building was unharmed.

“I also live on the 18th floor,” said Mr. Romanov, pointing to his building. “But I was lucky.”

Rescuers were still on site to help evacuate the injured: an elderly couple, a woman on a stretcher and a man walking alone, covered in dust and debris.

Just before 6 a.m., the wail of an air raid siren sounded again through the air, sending residents running for an underground shelter.