Kyiv faced a barrage of ballistic missiles shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered diplomats to leave the city. Dense smoke was seen rising over the Ukrainian capital on June 2, prompting residents to seek safety underground. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed a fire broke out at an apartment building due to debris from a nearby structure that was on fire. There were reports of individuals trapped beneath rubble near the building, but casualties remained unconfirmed.

Residents sought refuge in subway stations equipped with sleeping bags and camping gear to escape the attack. Klitschko reported fires in different locations, including cars burning in the Obolon district from missile fragments. Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force warned of incoming missiles, leading to a military advisory for civilians to find shelter.

Russia launched assaults on Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia following missile strikes believed to have originated from the Caspian Sea towards Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky had cautioned about a potential major Russian offensive. Russia had previously advised foreign nationals and diplomats to leave promptly and cautioned civilians to avoid government and military premises.

The missile strikes were seen as retaliation for a drone strike on a dormitory in Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Luhansk region, which Russia claimed resulted in 21 fatalities, a claim strongly refuted by Ukraine.