It was a deadly moment that unfortunately came as no surprise. At about 3am the unmistakable crump of explosions could be heard across Kyiv, enough to wake up tens of thousands and leave them contemplating whether to head for shelter or to stay in bed hoping for the best.
At a five-storey residential apartment block in the Darnytskyi area in the east of the city, residents said they had heard Russian bombing in the distance. It was a familiar sound, and many had gathered away from the windows in central corridors that extended along the block, only for disaster to strike.