Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Russia launched two hundred drones on Ukraine nearly overnight, hitting mostly the Kyiv area and energy facilities in the east, killing two people, authorities revealed.
Ukraine’s air defenses downed 110 of 177 drones fired by Russia in the overnight attack, the air force stated. It further said 66 other drones were “lost” because of Ukraine’s use of electronic warfare to reroute Russian drones. Strikes hit the Kharkiv, Kyiv Kirovohrad, and Sumy regions.
Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, DTEK, stated its energy installation in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk area was harmed.
During the attack, a house that caught fire was found with the body of one civilian, Mykola Kalashnyk, governor of the area that surrounds the Ukrainian capital, noted. The emergency service shared several photos and footage on Telegram of firefighters fighting flames at night in what seemed to be residential structures and garages in the Bucha district of Kyiv region.
How has Russia increased its attacks on Ukraine over the past week?
Russia has intensified drone strikes with incursions on Ukraine every night in recent weeks, and on Sunday, the number of drones was a tally of 267 for the first time in three years of warfare.
Russia concentrated its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s electricity facilities last year but, in recent months, has sharply increased its attacks on gas storage buildings and production fields. A drone raid on the Kyiv region killed two, injured at least two, and set many houses on fire, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry stated.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy stated that in total, about 1,150 attack drones, more than 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and 35 missiles of different types were fired by Russia at Ukraine in the past week.
The president expressed gratitude to those serving Ukraine’s air defences, and called on the country’s foreign partners to stand united to secure a “just and lasting peace”. “This is achievable through the unity of all partners — we need the strength of all of Europe, the strength of America, the strength of everyone who seeks lasting peace.”
