Explosion Heard on Live Connection in Kyiv, CNN Reporter Quickly Dons Bulletproof Vest
A CNN reporter, Matthew Chance, covering live from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, reported hearing an explosion. He stated, 'I just heard a massive blast behind me. I've never heard anything like it.' Chance, a senior international correspondent for CNN, mentioned hearing seven to eight explosions.
Following the incident, Chance swiftly put on a bulletproof vest and a helmet, continuing to provide updates while connected to the studio from a balcony in Kyiv. He stated, 'A big explosion is happening. I can't see them or explain what they are. But I'll tell you, the United States has warned Ukrainian authorities, including the capital, of possible airstrikes and ground attacks across the country.' He added, 'I don't know if this is happening right now, but the explosions occurred minutes after (Russian President) Putin's speech. It's an unusual coincidence.' Later, he reassured, 'I feel like the place I'm in is safe. I have a bulletproof vest.'
The report mentioned that just minutes before the explosions, Putin announced that Russia would launch a 'special military operation' in the Donbas region of Ukraine. According to Russian news agency TASS on the 24th, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian armed forces did not launch any missile, aerial, or artillery strikes on Ukrainian cities. Earlier, the Russian president, in a televised address, announced his decision to conduct a special military operation in the Donbas region, noting that Russia's plan did not involve occupying Ukraine but aimed at achieving the 'demilitarization and de-Nazification' of Ukraine."