Devastating Russian airstrike leaves Kyiv scorched as raging fires burn & Vitali Klitschko issues warning

A SHOPPING centre has been destroyed in Kyiv after a devastating Russian airstrike on Sunday evening.

The capital was lit up by a wall of flames as the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned locals "several explosions" had taken place.

The pro boxer and politician revealed several homes had also been torpedoed by the shelling in the Podilskyi district.

He said at least one victim had been killed in the attack that occurred just after midnight local time.

Harrowing images show firefighters battling to put out the ferocious flames while rescuers scoured the rubble for the injured.

The Mayor of Kyiv wrote in a tweet: "Friends! Several explosions in the Podilskyi district of the capital.

"In particular, according to information at the moment, some houses and in one of the shopping centers.

"Rescuers, medics and police are already in place. Rescuers are extinguishing a large fire.

"At this time - one victim. All services - rescue, medics, police - work on site. The information is being clarified."

A team were seen lifting a severely injured man from the remnants of the building before lifting him into an ambulance on a stretcher.

Shocking footage shows the moment the shopping centre burst into flames and sent shards of glass flying across the city.

The savage attack comes after another day of devastation in the war-torn country.

Russian forces allegedly bombed a school in Mariupol where up to 400 civilians were sheltering from shelling.

A number of women and children are still said to be trapped under the rubble following the attack overnight.

It currently remains unknown if there are any casualties.

The strategically-crucial southern port city has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting of the war so far.

And earlier this week, Putin's troops bombed a theatre in Mariupol being used as a shelter by around 1,200 people.

MARIUPOL DEVASTATED

Around 130 people were rescued but true casualty numbers are not yet known.

Satellite images showed the word "children" written in large white letters in Russian outside the front and back of the building, the Maxar space technology company said.

Putin has made it clear than his cruelty knows no bounds - after his troops sickeningly shelled an elderly care home killing 56 people on March 11, according to reports.

The shocking incident is said to have taken place in the small city of Kreminna in the breakaway pro-Russian region of Luhansk.

Some 15 survivors were then reportedly abducted by Russian troops and taken to the nearby city of Svatove, some 25 miles north, in territory occupied by forces loyal to Vladimir Putin.

But despite the relentless bombardment of Mariupol, Ukraine spectacularly rejected Moscow's chilling ultimatum to surrender the besieged city.

NO SURRENDER

Moscow promised to create two humanitarian corridors if troops gave up the key area and soldiers stopped fighting.

But Ukraine’s deputy prime minister declined the eleventh-hour demand, according to reports.

Irina Vereshchuk hit back at the bullying Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev who said those who comply with his deadline of 5am Moscow time "are guaranteed a safe passage out."

The head of the Russian National Defence Control Centre demanded a written response from Kyiv regarding his offer.

However, the defiant politician told the news outlet Ukrainian Pravda: "There can be no talk of any surrender, laying down of arms.

"We have already informed the Russian side about this. I wrote: 'Instead of wasting time on eight pages of letters, just open the corridor'."

It comes after a string of horrific attacks in the peaceful city over the last few days and claims residents were being forcibly taken to Russia and stripped of their Ukrainian passports.