KYIV: Ukraine’s capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. At least one person was killed.
Russia launched the “most massive attack” on the city overnight Saturday with Iranian-made Shahed ‘kamikaze’ drones, said a Kyiv military official. The attack lasted over five hours, with air defence reportedly shooting down more than 40 drones. A 41-year-old man was killed and a 35-year-old woman was hospitalised when debris fell on a seven-story nonresidential building and started a fire, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Ukraine’s air force said that Saturday night was also record-breaking in terms of Shahed drone attacks across the country. Of the 54 drones launched, 52 were shot down by air defence systems. In the Kharkiv province, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said a 61-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were killed in two separate shelling attacks.
Kyiv Day marks the anniversary of Kyiv’s official founding. The day is usually celebrated with live concerts, street fairs, exhibitions and fireworks. Scaled-back festivities were planned for this year, the city’s 1,541st anniversary.
The timing of the drone attacks was likely not coincidental, Ukrainian officials said.
“The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians,” Ukraine’s chief presidential aide, Andriy Yermak, said. “Today, the enemy decided to ‘congratulate’ the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles),” Popko said. Local officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region said air defence systems destroyed several drones as they approached the Ilsky oil refinery. Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, also came under attack from Ukrainian forces on Saturday. Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were wounded in the shelling. AP
Russia launched the “most massive attack” on the city overnight Saturday with Iranian-made Shahed ‘kamikaze’ drones, said a Kyiv military official. The attack lasted over five hours, with air defence reportedly shooting down more than 40 drones. A 41-year-old man was killed and a 35-year-old woman was hospitalised when debris fell on a seven-story nonresidential building and started a fire, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Ukraine’s air force said that Saturday night was also record-breaking in terms of Shahed drone attacks across the country. Of the 54 drones launched, 52 were shot down by air defence systems. In the Kharkiv province, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said a 61-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were killed in two separate shelling attacks.
Kyiv Day marks the anniversary of Kyiv’s official founding. The day is usually celebrated with live concerts, street fairs, exhibitions and fireworks. Scaled-back festivities were planned for this year, the city’s 1,541st anniversary.
The timing of the drone attacks was likely not coincidental, Ukrainian officials said.
“The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians,” Ukraine’s chief presidential aide, Andriy Yermak, said. “Today, the enemy decided to ‘congratulate’ the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles),” Popko said. Local officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region said air defence systems destroyed several drones as they approached the Ilsky oil refinery. Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, also came under attack from Ukrainian forces on Saturday. Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were wounded in the shelling. AP