Ukraine shoots down own drone over central Kyiv

Ukraine's aerial unit has changeable down 1 of its ain drones which it says had mislaid power supra cardinal Kyiv.

There were explosions for astir 15 to 20 minutes connected Thursday evening arsenic aerial defence attempted to sprout it down successful an country adjacent the president's office.

Ukraine statesmanlike main of unit Andriy Yermak initially said it was an force drone that had been changeable down.

But the aerial unit aboriginal admitted it was Ukrainian and had been destroyed to debar "undesirable circumstances".

In a statement, it said the Bayraktar TB2 UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] had mislaid power astir astatine 20:00 (17:00 GMT) successful the Kyiv region, during a scheduled flight.

It added that it had taken a determination to sprout it down "since the uncontrolled beingness of UAVs successful the entity of the superior could pb to undesirable consequences".

There were nary casualties oregon injuries from the falling drone, it said.

"It's a pity, but this is technology, and specified cases happen," the connection said. "It is astir apt a method malfunction, the reasons are being established."

Videos of efforts to sprout down the drone had been shared wide connected societal media. Cheers could beryllium heard erstwhile the drone was yet taken down.

City subject medication caput Serhiy Popko said a occurrence was brought nether power successful a gathering wherever the drone was brought down successful Solomyanskyi district, westbound of the metropolis centre.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the US was "undoubtedly" down the alleged attack, without providing evidence.

US National Security spokesperson John Kirby called it a "ludicrous claim".

Ukraine has said it had thing to bash with the alleged onslaught connected the Kremlin, and has accused Moscow of staging the incidental successful bid to escalate the war.