Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband arrived in Kyiv to the sound of air raid alerts, as Russian drones tested the city's defences. The visit came amid heightened attacks, with Russia bombarding Kyiv both day and night to maximise disruption.
Escalating Attacks and Civilian Toll
Since the end of the summer, the Kremlin has ramped up its attacks using rapid jet-powered drones, more than twice as fast as their predecessors, leaving Ukraine scrambling to intercept them. In Pryluky, in the Chernihiv region, a Russian missile strike on an apartment block killed 22 people, including five children.
Miliband visited the site of the strike, where rescuers had been pulling people out of the wreckage only the day before. The Foreign Secretary also met injured security personnel in Kyiv.
Impact on Daily Life
Power outages due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure affected the city as Miliband left. Long queues formed for buses as the metro was shut down due to lack of electricity, and street lights were turned off.
The journey itself carried heightened risk, with Russia escalating attacks on the overnight train from Poland, the only way into the country except by road as Ukraine's air space is closed. A leaflet on the train warned passengers to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice, urging them to carry warm clothes and food.
Support for Ukraine
Miliband met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Pryluky. Politicians have repeatedly said that support for Ukraine cannot waver, a message that risks losing meaning as the war grinds on into its fifth year. The people of Ukraine are giving everything daily to defend their country, holding the line for all of Europe.
