KYIV, Ukraine — On Tuesday, Russia executed a significant aerial offensive against Ukraine, targeting the capital, Kyiv, alongside various other regions with an array of missiles and drones.
The Ukrainian air force raised alarm at 3:00 a.m. local time regarding a ballistic missile threat, and shortly thereafter, explosions were reported across Kyiv. By 8:00 a.m., another missile alert ensued, leading to additional reports of explosions in the capital. Although missile debris fell in the Darnytskyi district, local officials indicated there were no immediate casualties or damage reported.
In the northeastern Sumy region, authorities noted missile strikes close to Shostka. Mayor Mykola Noha confirmed that 12 residential buildings, along with two educational institutions, sustained damage from the attacks. He also mentioned that several “social infrastructure objects” were demolished but did not elaborate on the specifics.
Beyond Kyiv, various regions in Ukraine faced missile and drone assaults, as reported by the air force. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its military successfully targeted a Ukrainian airbase and a gunpowder factory amid these escalating tensions.
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with around half of it reportedly destroyed, resulting in widespread rolling blackouts. Although Ukraine’s Western allies have provided air defense systems to safeguard critical infrastructures, Russian forces have been trying to outmaneuver these defenses by launching extensive strikes that combine many missiles and drones.
The recent Russian offensives arrive at a time of uncertainty regarding the three-year conflict. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, set to take office next month, has expressed intentions to conclude the war, raising concerns about the continuity of essential military support for Ukraine from the U.S.
On Monday, outgoing President Joe Biden revealed that the United States would send an additional $2.5 billion worth of military equipment to Ukraine, aiming to utilize all available funds to assist Kyiv in deflecting Russian aggression before Trump’s inauguration.
Throughout the year, Ukraine has consistently retaliated against Russia with its own barrage of missile and drone strikes. Early Tuesday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted and shot down 68 Ukrainian drones across several regions and also reported sinking eight unmanned boats in the Black Sea.
Vasily Anokhin, the head of the Smolensk region in western Russia, reported that drone fragments landed near an oil depot, igniting a fire. In Crimea, the head of the city of Sevastopol, appointed by Moscow, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the interception of four aerial drones and the sinking of two unmanned boats off the coast.
Additionally, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate, known as GUR, alleged that one of its naval drones successfully destroyed a Russian helicopter, marking an unprecedented achievement for such uncrewed vessels. They stated that a MaguraV5 naval drone shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter using an R-73 missile near Cape Tarkhankut, the westernmost point of the Crimean peninsula, while another helicopter was reportedly damaged but made it back to an airfield.
Currently, Russia appears to be maintaining the initiative in its military campaign, pressing through Ukrainian defenses in the eastern regions with a series of steady but slow offensives. However, Ukraine achieved a surprising raid into Russia’s Kursk region in August, which dealt a notable blow to Moscow’s credibility. While the Russian army has managed to reclaim some territories in the area from Ukrainian control, it has struggled to fully expel Ukrainian forces.
