KYIV, June 2 (Reuters) - Kyiv was under heavy Russian attack early on Tuesday, with a large pillar of smoke seen rising from the Ukrainian capital and authorities urging residents to seek shelter, according to witnesses and officials.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a fire had broken out in the Podil district on the grounds of a non-residential property and a nine-storey apartment building was on fire after debris apparently struck the roof.
"In the Obolon district, cars are burning after being struck
by falling missile debris. There are also fires at two locations in open areas, including one near a kindergarten," Klitschko said on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday reiterated warnings of a possible massive Russian strike and urged residents to pay special attention to air raid alerts.
"Intelligence warnings regarding Russian strikes remain in effect. A massive strike is possible, they have prepared one," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
"Our defenders are ready 24/7 to the fullest extent possible with the supplies currently available."
Russia last week warned that it intended to launch "systematic strikes" on targets in Kyiv linked to the Ukrainian military as well as decision-making centres, and urged foreigners to leave.
It said the action was in response to a drone strike last week on a dormitory in Ukraine's Russian-held Luhansk region which killed 21 people. Ukraine denied carrying out the attack.
(Reporting Reuters, Writing by Jekaterīna Golubkova and Lincoln Feast; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
