This Sunday, Ukraine assured that managed to control the “most important” drone attack launched by Russia since the beginning of the invasion. “Total a record number of explosive drones launched was recorded: 54!“, said the Ukrainian air force through Telegram, noting that “we have managed to destroy 52” of the total launched, the attack was mostly aimed at the city of Kiev.
“Of the total of 54 explosive drones, 40 were going to kyiv, and the two that hit civilian buildings, leaving two dead and three injured,” added the Ukrainian statement.
Ukraine announces the start of the counteroffensive to recapture the territories occupied by Russia
Likewise, the regional military administration maintained that “the Russian attack took place in several waves, and the air alert lasted more than 5 hours.”
“According to preliminary data, more than 40 Russian drones were shot down for anti-aircraft defence”, added the military authorities, whom Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky thanked for their work.
In this regard, the Ukrainian president stated: “Every time they shoot down enemy drones and missiles, lives are saved (…). They are our heroes.”
Russia has said it has “total control” in Bakhmut, but Ukraine has denied this and warned that fighting continues.
For his part, the mayor of kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, described the attack as “massive” and pointed out that the drones were launched from several directions simultaneously. This was the 14th Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian capital since early May.
Regarding the victims, in the Solomianski neighborhood, a 41-year-old man died and a 35-year-old woman was hospitalized. In turn, in the Golosivski neighborhood, remains of Russian drones fell on a building and left one dead and one wounded. In addition, a fire broke out in a warehouse area, injuring another man.
Specifically, 54 explosive drones were launched from the Russian regions of Bryansk and Krasnodar and 52 were intercepted, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Said attack would have been aimed at military installations and strategic infrastructures in the central regions of the country.
“People are in shock. The damage is significant, the windows are broken, the roof is damaged”Sergei Movchane, a 50-year-old neighbor, told lFP.
This Sunday was the 14th Russian drone attack on kyiv since early May, according to the authorities. The capital had been relatively free of this type of offensive since the beginning of the year.
In the Solomianski neighborhood, a 41-year-old man died and a 35-year-old woman was hospitalized, it said. Another person died in the Golosivski neighborhood after the remains of Russian drones fell “on a seven-story building”, according to the regional administration. One person was injured.
A fire also broke out in a warehouse area, spreading flames over 1,000 m2, which injured one man, according to the same source.
“They have ‘congratulated’ us with their drones…”
“Today, the enemy has decided to ‘congratulate’ the inhabitants of (the capital) on kyiv Day with the help of their killer drones,” the Ukrainian authorities ironized, mentioning the city festival held on Sunday.
In total, 54 explosive drones were launched “from the Bryansk and Krasnodar regions” in Russia, said the Ukrainian Air Force, which was pleased to have intercepted 52 of them.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that Western powers were playing “with fire” following the recent green light from the United States for future deliveries of F-16 fighters to Ukraine. “It is an unacceptable escalation” carried out by “Washington, London and their satellites within the EU (European Union)” who want to “weaken Russia”, he stressed.
The drone war between Ukraine and Russia continues. The use of these small remotely piloted devices in the conflict zone is increasingly common on the Ukrainian front. In recent weeks, Russian territory has also been the target of attacks of this type, in addition to sabotage, at a time when kyiv claims to be launching a counter-offensive and to recover all the territories occupied by Moscow, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
The most spectacular drone attack occurred on May 3, when two drones were shot down over the Kremlin, in Moscow, the official residence and occasional workplace of President Vladimir Putin. Russia accused Ukraine, which denied involvement.
AS./HB
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