Russian Forces Attack Kyiv TV Tower, Knock Out Broadcasting

• Russian forces hit a TV tower in Kyiv and knocked out broadcasting on Tuesday.
• Ukraine’s defense ministry and parliament confirmed the strike.
• Russia has said it would begin missile strikes against parts of Kyiv as it ramps up its assault.

Russian forces hit the site of a TV tower in Kyiv and knocked out broadcasting in Ukraine’s capital, Ukrainian officials confirmed on Tuesday — hours after Russia threatened more strikes. 

“The hardware of the broadcaster on the TV tower was hit,” Ukraine’s defense ministry tweeted. “For a while, the channels won’t work.”

It added: “In the near future, the backup broadcast of some channels will be switched on.”

—Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 1, 2022

The attack was first reported by the Kyiv Independent, which cited local authorities who said at least five people were killed and five others were injured in the attack.

A video posted to Twitter by Kyiv Independent reporter Illia Ponomarenko shows a black plume of smoke rising from the tower. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear. 

—Illia Ponomarenko (@IAPonomarenko) March 1, 2022

Russia earlier on Tuesday said it would launch missile strikes in parts of Kyiv as it ramps up its assault on the city home to nearly 3 million people.

Across the country in Kharkiv, a cruise missile strike in the city’s Freedom Square on Tuesday reportedly killed at least 10 people and injured dozens. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the Kharkiv attack as a “war crime.”

“This is state terrorism of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said in a video statement posted on Telegram on Tuesday. “After that, Russia is a terrorist state, obviously.”

Western officials warned that Russia may increase attacks against civilians after it faced intense resistance from Ukrainian forces during the first few days of the invasion. 

Top human rights groups warn that ongoing bombings against Ukrainian citizens could be considered war crimes, while the US State Department accused Russia on Monday of “widespread” human rights abuses in Ukraine.