Kyiv’s air force reported today that Russian forces carried out a large-scale overnight assault, deploying 67 long-range Shahed drones. Of these, 58 were successfully intercepted. The air force also stated that air defense units were activated in 11 regions across Ukraine. The attacks originated from two Russian border regions and the annexed Crimea peninsula. Debris from one of the downed drones was found next to the parliament building in the capital Kyiv, the legislature said in a separate statement it posted on its official Telegram page along with several photographs. The legislature said the damage was not severe, and no injuries were reported.
It is rare for a missile or drone to reach the center of Kyiv, protected by a vast network of Soviet-era and Western-donated air defense systems. But the strikes underscore Russia’s growing ability to strike deep into Ukraine, far beyond the front lines where it has been attacking since launching its invasion in February 2022.
The attacks came a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to his Western allies for more air defenses. He vowed that Ukrainians will continue to fight the “terror” of Russia and called on allies to allow their systems to be used for strikes into Russian territory, Reuters reports.
In the eastern city of Kharkiv, a series of Russian missile and drone attacks hit a mall, an events hall, and a hardware store, killing at least six people and injuring more than 60. Some of the blasts caused fires. The mayor of the city of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, slammed the Russian aggression. He told local media that “the enemy is targeting civilians and attacking public buildings.”
Earlier, a drone attack in the central city of Poltava killed seven and wounded more than 30. The attackers hit a mall and a hardware store in the city’s residential area, leaving the buildings primarily destroyed. Poltava Regional Governor Filip Pronin said 15 people may be trapped under the rubble.
Other cities in central and southern Ukraine were also hit by missile and drone strikes. A barrage of attacks in the south inflicted heavy damage on a military training institute. Reuters reports that thousands of students and other residents were forced to take shelter.
The overnight strikes drew international condemnation. US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia that its actions could lead to a broader conflict. The United States has armed Ukraine with missiles and other equipment to help it stand up to the Kremlin. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump headed to Wisconsin on Saturday for a rally in a battleground state that could decide the election. He is aiming to bolster his support among working-class and rural whites. The campaign is expected to intensify as it enters the final stretch. Several other candidates have stepped up their rhetoric against Moscow. They include Green Party nominee Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson.
