Kyiv successfully thwarted a significant drone attack from Russian forces in the early hours of Sunday, according to Ukrainian officials. Although debris fell in multiple districts, there were no reported casualties. The capital city experienced at least ten explosions, triggering air raid sirens and urging residents to seek shelter. Fortunately, the all-clear signal was later sounded.
Serhiy Popko, the chief of Kyiv Military Administration, disclosed that the falling debris ignited a fire in a residential building, but swift action led to its extinguishment. This incident is not the first involving drones in Kyiv, as the city has previously been targeted.
The affected districts, including Podilskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi, are all situated in or near the city center. Kyiv’s air defense system has demonstrated its effectiveness in intercepting the majority of Russian drones and missiles aimed at the city.
Mr. Popko reported that around 20 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones were brought down on Sunday. These drones approached Kyiv from various directions in groups. Most of the debris landed in open areas, but some caused damage to vehicles and trolleybus cables.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have destroyed eight drones launched by Ukraine near the Black Sea, close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia has occupied since 2014. Drones are also commonly referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Previous incidents involved drones allegedly from Ukraine penetrating deep into Russian territory, including the Moscow region, and even targeting planes at a military airbase in Pskov. Ukrainian officials have typically remained silent regarding their involvement in such raids.
Russia’s defense ministry asserted that its naval aircraft had destroyed three Ukrainian military speedboats en route to Crimea. These US-made boats, carrying marines, were reportedly struck northeast of Snake Island. However, the BBC has not independently verified this claim, which follows Russia’s recent announcement of destroying four Ukrainian speedboats off Crimea.
Ukraine’s newly-appointed defense minister, Rustem Umerov, called on Western allies to maintain their support and continue supplying weapons to ensure victory in the ongoing conflict. He emphasized the importance of heavy weaponry, stating, “We need more heavy weapons today; we need them now.” Umerov highlighted the sacrifices made by Ukrainian soldiers in the pursuit of democracy and freedom, emphasizing the need for support from international partners.
