Russia unleashes 1,500 attack drones on Ukraine, shattering prospects for peace
Kyiv bears brunt of two-day aerial attack, days after Putin said that he thought the Ukraine war was coming to an end
Russia unleashed the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a two-day period since the war began, pounding the capital Kyiv and other cities across the country with hundreds of drones, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had launched more than 1,560 drones since the start of Wednesday. Overnight on Thursday, Moscow fired more than 670 attack drones and 56 missiles against Ukraine, he said. Air defence units shot down 41 missiles and 652 drones overnight, the air force said.
“These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to an end,” Zelensky said.
“It is important that partners do not remain silent about this strike. And it is equally important to continue supporting the protection of our skies.”
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the war continues unabated, although Russian advances on the battlefield have stalled this year. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the attacks.
Ukraine’s own long-range drone and missile attacks have disrupted energy facilities and manufacturing deep inside Russia, with three regions reporting strikes Wednesday. The Russian Defence Ministry said that its forces intercepted and destroyed 286 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.