'Goat of Kyiv' leaves 40 Russian soldiers injured after triggering grenades

The condition of the goat, however, is not known yet. (Representational image)

About 40 Russian soldiers who were setting up a tripwires rigged to grenades near a hospital in Ukraine's village of Kinski Rozdory were injured when the trap was triggered by a goat.

The soldiers had planned an ambush near the hospital but an escaped goat came zooming in the direction of the trap and its “chaotic movement” resulted in a chain reaction of explosions, reported the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

“As a result of the goat’s ‘chaotic’ movements, the animal ‘disposed of’ several grenades,” the Defense Intelligence said. “As a result of a chain reaction, several (Russians) sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity.”

The goat is now being called “Goat of Kyiv” inspired by an urban legend, a pilot known as Ghost of Kyiv who apparently shot down around 40 Russian aircrafts. The condition of the animal, however, is not currently known.

Meanwhile, Russian strikes hit a residential building in Kyiv on Sunday in the first attack on the capital in almost three weeks, Ukraine said, calling for increased support from G7 leaders meeting in Germany.

One man died and four people, including the dead victim's seven-year-old daughter, were taken to hospital following the early morning strikes, said city mayor Vitali Klitschko and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia denied it had hit a civilian target. Earlier, it announced strikes against three military centres in northern and western Ukraine, including one near the border with NATO and EU member Poland.

The high-profile attacks come as a week of Western diplomacy kicked off with the G7 summit in Germany, which will be followed by a meeting of NATO leaders in Spain.

Read more: Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Allies including US President Joe Biden -- who condemned the Kyiv attack as "barbarism" -- will take stock of their support for Ukraine and for sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Biden said NATO and the G7 were defying Russian President Vladimir Putin's wish for the West to "splinter", vowing unity in support of Ukraine.

(With inputs from AFP)