Huge cheers erupt after drone is shot down in Kyiv

Ukranians erupted into cheers, applause and fist-bumps after drones were shot down above central Kyiv.

Footage emerged this evening of at least two drones soaring above Maidan, the city’s central square.

City authorities had sounded the air alarm and the surrounding area earlier before amid unverified claims of Russian drones above. Officials have not commented on the origin of the drone.

But the city’s defence system downed the drones, with huge cheers filling the city after locals had run for cover during the attack, journalists on the ground said.

‘Some Ukrainians ran for cover during the drone attack,’ tweeted Christopher Miller, a correspondent for the Financial Times.

The debris caused a fire in a nearby district, city officials said (Picture: Reuters)

Witnesses say they heard the drone zipping over Kyiv while running into shelters (Picture: AFP)

No one has been injured (Picture: Reuters)

Some people stood outside watching and filming the craft, Miller said.

‘Several videos filmed by Ukrainians look and sound like this, with celebrations as the drone is downed,’ he added.

Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukranian MP, said: ‘Explosions louder than ever this time in Kyiv. Drones getting shot down right in downtown.

‘Not a pleasant soundtrack and not one I heard in a while.’

‘Flew over right over my house, the metro station where people were sheltering, finally shot down over central shopping centre,’ she added.

The drone’s debris plummeted into the Solomianskyi district, igniting a fire in a non-residential building, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the blaze tore through a four-storey building by a railroad station but it has now been contained.

There have been no reports of any casualties.

The Kyiv City Military Administration chief Serhii Popko said on Telegram: ‘During the last air alert, an unmanned aerial vehicle was recorded over Kyiv.

‘The object was shot down by anti-aircraft defence forces and means.

Kyiv residents ran for cover as the drones flew overheard (Picture: Reuters)

‘There is no information about victims or destruction of the housing stock or infrastructure. The information is being clarified.’

Barrages of Russian drones and missiles and the sound of explosions and antiaircraft gunfire shook Kyiv earlier today after both Russia and Ukraine blamed one another for explosions above the Kremlin.

Moscow has blamed Ukraine for launching drones at the Kremlin in an unsuccessful ‘attempt on the life of’ President Vladimir Putin in what would be an audacious move in the heart of Moscow a year into the bloody conflict.

Russia has not released any evidence to show Ukraine was behind the explosions that blared above Putin’s residence.

Kyiv has vehemently denied this, accusing Russia of fabricating the incident ahead of its imminent counteroffensive.

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People gathered in the city square to applaud.