KYIV, Ukraine — A wave of Russian drone and missile strikes hit the Ukrainian capital on Saturday, resulting in at least four fatalities. Concurrently, Ukrainian drone strikes reportedly ignited fires at industrial locations within Russia.
The attack began in the early hours, with Russia launching a total of 39 Shahed drones along with various simulator drones and four ballistic missiles, as reported by Ukraine’s Air Force. Ukrainian air defense managed to intercept two missiles and down 24 drones, though 14 additional drone simulators were lost, according to their statement.
Tragedy struck in the Shevchenkivskyi district where debris from a intercepted missile claimed the lives of four individuals, as confirmed by Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s City Military Administration. Additionally, debris fell in the Desnyansky district, contributing to the chaos.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, remarked that the Shevchenkivskyi district suffered broken windows and smoke filled the entrance of a residential building. Notably, a water supply pipeline was also compromised following the strikes. Reporters at the scene witnessed a deceased individual amongst the rubble, and water flooded surrounding streets as firefighters managed the aftermath of the attack.
Following the barrage, Klitschko announced the temporary closure of the Lukyanivska metro station, as its glass entrance was damaged.
In response to the missile assault, Ukraine’s general prosecutor’s office declared that an investigation was underway. The casualties included a security guard from a food establishment and three individuals who were traveling in a minibus at the time of the incident.
Across various regions of Ukraine, including Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Donetsk, numerous drones and missiles were intercepted.
In a separate series of events, Ukrainian drone attacks caused significant damage to industrial sites in the Kaluga and Tula regions of Russia, according to local officials on Saturday. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that they had successfully destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones across the nation overnight.
Governor Vladislav Shapsha reported on Telegram that a drone strike ignited a fire in the town of Lyudinovo within the Kaluga region, with residents commenting that the incident targeted a local oil depot. Meanwhile, in the Tula region, Governor Dmitry Milyaev confirmed that a fuel storage tank had been set ablaze due to a drone attack, advising residents to maintain a safe distance from any drone debris. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from these incidents.
