Ukraine Says Russia Fired Ballistic Missile At Kyiv Government Building

Russia used an Iskander ballistic missile in an attack that damaged a Ukrainian government building in Kyiv at the weekend, an official said Monday.

The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said he discussed Sunday's attack -- the first of its kind in the more than three-year war -- with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

"For the first time, the enemy attacked the building of the Ukrainian government -- a strike with an Iskander ballistic missile," Yermak wrote on X. 

The powerful Iskander has been widely used by Russia against other targets in Ukraine.

On Sunday, Russia launched its largest wave of drones and missiles on Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.

While visiting the building, the European Union's ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, noted the "gaping hole" left by the impact and missile remnants. 

"It's only because the missile was unable to fully detonate that the entire building wasn't turned into ruins," she said. 

An area of 800 to 900 square metres (8,611 to 9,688 square feet) was damaged, Andriy Danyk, head of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, reported on Monday. 

The attack caused a fire that spread "very quickly," he told a group of journalists, including AFP, who visited the site. 

Following Sunday's record attack, which resulted in several deaths and injuries, Kyiv urged its allies to impose new economic sanctions on Moscow. 

Yermak said he discussed "strengthening sanctions against Russia" with Rubio, as well as the security guarantees requested by Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire.

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