Ukrainian officials said explosions in several districts of the capital Kiev early Tuesday morning, without providing information on damage and possible casualties, according to Reuters.

The mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, said on his channel on the “Telegram” application: “Explosions in Kiev. There were some explosions in the Solomyansky District.”

Debris from the explosions fell on a zoo in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the city, he said.

He continued in a separate post that falling debris set several cars on fire in the Solomiansky district.

Ukrainian officials have previously announced that air defense systems were responding to Russian airstrikes in Kiev and elsewhere in Ukraine.

Andrei Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, said in a post on the messaging app Telegram that “the air defense is addressing the targets.” He did not give further details.

Air defense systems are responding to attacks on the capital, Kiev military administration officials said in a telegram.

“Agence France Presse” also reported in another report that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Kyiv on Monday after a European tour. , expressed his hope that more fighter jets could be delivered to Kiev in the future.

Zelensky receives more weapons from Britain

“I am returning to my country with new powerful weapons for the front,” Zelensky said in a video message, at the end of a three-day tour of the United Kingdom, where he pledged to provide his country with an airplane. defensive missiles, and expressed hope that Kiev could deliver more aircraft in the future.

On Monday evening, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he had opened the door to “training” for Ukrainian pilots “from now on”.

Zelensky’s visit to the British capital followed visits to Rome, Berlin and Paris, and came as Ukraine announced a “first victory” in an attack near the eastern city of Pakmut. Battles have been piling up there for months, turning mostly into Russian hands.

Russia, on the other hand, says it is advancing into the city, which it has been tirelessly trying to control since last summer, despite suffering heavy losses so far without success.

But the time for a counterattack, announced as imminent, according to Zelensky, who emphasized “preparation” for operations, insisted that Kiev “needs more time” for a response.

After meeting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the British prime minister’s summer home in Checkers, north-west London, Zelensky admitted it was a “difficult time”.

Long range weapons

In the United Kingdom, the government promised to deliver to Kiev “hundreds” of surface-to-air missiles “in the coming months”, and long-range strike ranges (200 km). The equipment is in addition to the “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles that Britain pledged to deliver to Kiev last week, the first that Ukraine has requested, to hit targets far from its front lines.

And the Russian military confirmed on Monday that it had shot down this type of missile.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that increasing British aid would cause “further destruction” but would “not have a significant impact on the course of the conflict”.

But Sunak insisted that British aid was long-term, including “security arrangements” that would be needed once Ukraine regained its territory. He also stressed that London would play a “key role” in the “coalition” that Kiev wants to hand over fighter jets.

“I think it will happen very soon, you know about the decisions that I think are very important,” said Zelensky, who was “very optimistic.”