A Russian missile attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv has killed at least three people and injured 15 others, according to the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko.

The strikes occurred early Saturday, triggering more than a dozen explosions that reverberated across the city, witnesses told Reuters.

Residents were trapped in damaged buildings in the Shevchenkivskyi and Solomyanskyi districts, Klitschko said. All 15 injured, including two boys aged 13 and 17, were hospitalized, with one in serious condition.

Fires and damage were also reported in several other districts, including burning warehouses in Darnytskyi and debris falling on buildings in Holosiivskyi. Emergency services remain on the scene as rescue efforts continue.

Russia has intensified attacks on Kyiv in recent months, exploiting Ukraine's shortage of air defenses capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed allies for more support and has been negotiating with the US for a license to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said talks were ongoing but Washington had not yet agreed, and that the US must be “very careful” about sharing such technology. Trump allegedly stated: “You have to be very judicious, but you have to be very careful. Now we have not agreed to that. We're talking about it, but it's a hard thing to give away that kind of technology. And I don't think this would ever happen, but, you know, there's people that you give that technology, they can someday turn on you.”

Ukraine has faced several deadly Russian air attacks this week, including a series of strikes across the country early Thursday that killed eight people, including children.

Source: www.aljazeera.com