NATO Secretary General Tours Kyiv Sites Hit by Russian Strikes

NATO Chief’s Visit to Kyiv

According to Главком: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte inspected locations in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district that were struck by Russian forces. The visit followed an attack on the night of June 24 that left three people dead. Rutte was accompanied by Andrii Danyk, head of the State Emergency Service (SES), who briefed him on the aftermath of the strike and the ongoing rescue operations.

Impact of the Attack

That night’s assault affected 32 sites across Kyiv. One strike hit the main building of the Kyiv Oblast SES, which housed the operational coordination center and the server for emergency hotlines 101 and 112. Additionally, around six missiles were fired at a shopping center near the Lukianivska metro station.

“The enemy launched roughly six missiles at the shopping center near Lukianivska metro station-one after another. Fortunately, no rescuer was injured that day: we reacted in time and moved to safe locations. But on the night of June 2, during a Russian strike on Dnipro, a second attack killed our fellow rescuer-Andrii Danyk.” - Andrii Danyk

On the night of June 24, Russian forces deployed nearly 700 aerial attack systems, with Kyiv as the primary target. Moscow continues to use a tactic of repeated strikes on emergency service sites. These circumstances highlight the grave dangers faced by rescuers and civilians amid the armed conflict.

Mark Rutte’s visit to Kyiv underscores international solidarity with Ukraine during the ongoing war. The situation in Kyiv reflects an escalation in Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, severely threatening civilian safety and the effectiveness of emergency services. This reinforces the urgent need for continued international support for Ukraine, particularly in security and defense.

The recent surge in missile attacks on emergency service facilities highlights the ongoing threat to civilian safety in Kyiv. In a particularly devastating incident, nearly 90 missiles and 600 drones targeted the State Emergency Service headquarters, further illustrating the peril faced by first responders. For a detailed account of this alarming escalation, you can read more about the recent strikes on emergency services.