Live Blog: Ukraine 'thwarts' Russian ballistic missile attack on Kiev

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Ukraine has claimed that its air defence system had foiled a Russian ballistic missile attack on the capital Kiev.

Russia launched a ballistic missile against Ukraine after a 52-day break.

The Russian army launched an "Iskander" type ballistic missile toward Kiev around 8 a.m. local time (0600GMT), said Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kiev military administration, on social media.

The missile was destroyed by the air defense system near Kiev, Popko said, adding that there was no destruction or loss of life according to the preliminary information.

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1650 GMT — Russia opens 'terrorism' inquiry over train derailment

Russian authorities said they had launched a "terrorism" probe after the derailment of a goods train southwest of Moscow.

An "improvised explosive device" caused the derailment of 19 of the train's wagons in the Riazan region on Saturday, the state investigation committee said in a social media announcement.

The derailment left one employee injured, the state-owned railway operator said, adding that it was due to "the intervention of unauthorised persons".

Fifteen of the derailed wagons were damaged, investigators said.

They are attempting to establish "all the circumstances around the incident and the people involved in the crime", the committee said.

0839 GMT — Ukraine 'downs' 19 out of 31 Russian drones on frontline areas

Ukraine has said it downed around two-thirds of the 31 attack drones launched overnight, mostly on frontline areas by Moscow.

"Nineteen enemy Shahed-136/131 attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were destroyed. The Russian occupants sent most of the attack UAVs to the frontline areas," the air force said, adding Russia also used several missiles.

0609 GMT — Ukraine’s capital Kiev under air attack, blasts heard

Ukraine's capital Kiev has come under air attack and big explosions were heard, Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko has said, but there was no immediate information on if there were any casualties.

It was the first attack on Kiev since late September.

Air alerts for Kiev and a nearby region were announced just minutes before the explosions were heard.

City authorities urged residents to stay in shelters.

2340 GMT — IMF: Staff agreement with Ukraine could allow $900 mln disbursement

The International Monetary Fund has announced a staff-level agreement with Ukraine on updated economic and financial policies, paving the way for a $900 million disbursement from its $15.6 billion lending program once approved by the board.

The global lender said its executive board was expected to consider the agreement in coming weeks.

It said Ukraine met all quantitative performance criteria set for the end of June, and indicative targets for the end of September, as well as most of the structural benchmarks set under the IMF's Extended Fund Facility program.

2312 GMT — Russia: Ukrainian drones downed in Moscow region, elsewhere

Russian anti-aircraft units have downed two Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region and Smolensk region to the west near the border with Belarus, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

"Anti-aircraft units intercepted lethal drones over the territory of Smolensk and Moscow regions," the Defence Ministry posted on Telegram, saying the incidents occurred at about 11:00 pm local time (2000 GMT).

Russian unofficial Telegram channels reported at least two explosions.

The popular Russian Telegram channel Baza, which has close links with the security services, said a drone had been downed near a machine plant in the city of Kolomna, 100 kilometres southeast of Moscow, and showed a picture of smoke rising in the distance.

Baza also posted pictures of what it said was a fire at an explosives plant in Kotovsk, about 500 kilometres southeast of Moscow.

For our live updates from Friday (November 10), click here.