Kyiv Under Fire: Russia’s Most Intense Drone Strike Shakes the Capital. Civilians in Danger, Power Outages, and Destruction Across Ukraine.
Russia executed its largest drone attack against Ukraine since the invasion began in 2022, reports the Associated Press (AP), citing the Ukrainian military. The primary target was the capital city of Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 75 Iran-made Shahed drones were deployed, of which 74 were destroyed by air defenses. Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, confirmed that Kyiv was the main target.
Massive Drone Strike on Kyiv
Described as the “most massive air drone attack on Kyiv” by Serhii Popko, head of Kyiv’s city administration, the attack resulted in injuries to at least five civilians, including an eleven-year-old child. Buildings, including a kindergarten, suffered damage from falling debris. In the Solomiansky district, a crater was formed by debris, and windows of a building were shattered. Local residents, many of them elderly, received medical assistance on site.
Attack Waves Last Six Hours
The attack, which began at 4 a.m. local time, lasted over six hours, causing power outages in residential buildings and institutions. The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy reports that 17,000 people in the Kyiv region were left without electricity due to the attack, and four power lines were damaged. Power was restored in the early afternoon.
Not All Drones Were Intercepted
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Telegram that most of the drones were shot down, but not all. He emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen air defense. The attack coincided with Holodomor Memorial Day, commemorating the famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933. At a summit on global food security, Zelensky warned of the danger of further actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Image: President.gov.ua, Zelenskyi and Shahed-131 01, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)