KYIV, Ukraine — Authorities reported that multiple Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, during an overnight assault that spanned eight hours, highlighting Russia’s continuous bombardment of Ukraine after nearly 1,000 days of conflict.
Russian forces deployed both solitary drones and swarms, which entered Ukrainian airspace from various angles and altitudes. This strategy seemingly aims to overwhelm air defense systems and unsettle local residents, officials noted.
Ukrainian air defenses managed to neutralize around thirty-six drones; however, debris caused by the interceptions resulted in damage to diverse structures, including a hospital and both residential and office buildings in the city. Notably, flames erupted on the 33rd floor of an apartment complex. Reports indicated that at least two individuals sustained injuries.
Drone assaults on Kyiv have become almost a daily occurrence recently, with the constant sound of explosions and the incessant buzzing of drones keeping residents anxious. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated earlier this week that Russia is deploying approximately ten times more Iranian-made Shahed drones than it did at the same time last year.
Ukraine’s military is finding it challenging to match the scale and capabilities of Russia’s armed forces, which are significantly larger and better equipped. Support from Western nations has become vital for Ukraine to maintain its costly efforts in this war of attrition. Nonetheless, uncertainty looms over the continuity of such assistance, especially with the election of Donald Trump as the incoming president of the United States, who has expressed discontent over U.S. aid to Ukraine.
In response, Russia appears to be seeking to diminish Ukraine’s resolve and erode Western support for Kyiv by prolonging the conflict.
The recent Russian offensives largely involve Shahed drones, which are particularly effective at instilling fear among civilians, according to Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the state’s Center for Countering Disinformation. Kovalenko claims that Russia aims to conserve and stockpile its missile capabilities, which possess greater destructive power than drones, given their effectiveness in crippling Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
Additionally, these drone assaults incrementally degrade Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, making the nation more susceptible to future missile attacks. Reports indicated that the Zhytomyr region, situated directly west of Kyiv, experienced power outages following a Russian attack, according to the energy firm Zhytomyroblenergo.
Moreover, another drone strike in the southern city of Odesa resulted in injuries to one individual, as regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported that debris from the attack damaged an 11-story residential building.