Russia unleashes massive drone attack on Kyiv

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Russia launched virtually 90 drones in opposition to Ukraine in one in all its largest assaults because the begin of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The in a single day assault, which lasted for seven hours and properly into Wednesday morning, primarily focused Kyiv the place greater than 30 drones have been shot down, in keeping with Ukraine’s air defence forces.

It marked an escalation in Russia’s renewed offensive, which has prompted Ukrainian forces to additionally enhance their aerial assaults on Russian targets.

Kyiv metropolis administration head Serhiy Popko described it as “some of the huge drone assaults on Ukraine throughout all the struggle”, whereas noting that none reached their targets. Authorities stated 13 homes within the Kyiv area have been hit by falling particles and the remainder of the drones have been downed exterior of residential areas.

Explosions have been reported in 4 different Ukrainian areas — Mykolayiv, Dnipro, Sumy and Poltava.

It was the primary nationwide assault since July 8, when Russian missiles overpowered Kyiv’s air defences, killing 42 folks and injuring 190 in an assault on a youngsters’s hospital and a number of other residential buildings.

Russian drone assaults on Kyiv have turn into uncommon since 2023 when Ukraine constructed up robust air defences across the capital, which embrace US-made Patriot techniques.

Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia have additionally intensified, with a number of reported over the previous week. On Wednesday, Kyiv’s forces claimed to have hit a weapons depot within the Kursk area close to the Ukrainian border. The Russian defence ministry stated its forces destroyed 19 drones launched by Ukraine in a single day.

On Sunday, Ukraine stated its drones had broken two Tu-22M3 bomber planes at an airfield in Murmansk, within the far north of Russia.

“Destroying the enemy’s plane that’s putting Ukraine is a precedence. We will attain it all over the place,” stated the top of Ukraine’s presidential administration Andriy Yermak.

The aerial assaults come as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has elevated his diplomatic efforts to get extra international locations behind his peace method and as Russia’s land offensive made incremental beneficial properties alongside the 1,000km-long frontline.

On Monday, Russia introduced that it had taken the village of Vovche, close to the strategic city of Pokrovsk, which, if captured, would make it very troublesome for Ukrainian forces to carry the road.

Whereas Russia has stated it’s open to talks, its circumstances are unacceptable for Ukraine, as they embrace occupying 4 Ukrainian areas, together with territory it doesn’t at present maintain.

Past the peace overtures, each side are making efforts to recruit extra troopers and arm themselves for an extended struggle.

The lengthy awaited F-16 fighter jets are attributable to arrive in Ukraine in August. Ukraine has stated it hopes that they can be utilized to shoot down Russian bomber planes and intercept missiles.

However some consultants are sceptical of simply how a lot the F-16s will change the dynamic of the struggle, particularly given the time Russia has needed to put together for his or her arrival.