KYIV, Ukraine — Waves of drone and missile assaults focused Kyiv in a single day into Friday within the largest aerial assault since Russia’s war in Ukraine started, injuring 23 individuals and inflicting injury throughout a number of districts of the capital.
Russia launched 550 drones and missiles throughout Ukraine in a single day, the nation’s air power stated. The bulk had been Shahed drones, whereas Russia used 11 missiles within the assault.
All through the evening, Related Press journalists in Kyiv heard the fixed buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fireplace as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault.
Kyiv was the first goal of the assault. At the very least 23 individuals had been injured, with 14 hospitalized, in keeping with Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 270 targets, together with two cruise missiles. One other 208 targets had been misplaced from radar and presumed jammed.
Russia efficiently hit eight places with 9 missiles and 63 drones. Particles from intercepted drones fell throughout at the least 33 websites.
The assault got here hours after President Donald Trump held a name with Russian President Vladimir Putin and made his first public feedback on his administration’s determination to pause some shipments of weapons to Ukraine.
That call impacts munitions, together with Patriot missiles, the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile and shorter-range Stinger missiles. They’re wanted to counter incoming missiles and drones, and to deliver down Russian plane.
It has been lower than every week since Russia’s previous largest aerial assault of the battle. Ukraine’s air power reported that Russia fired 537 drones, decoys and 60 missiles in that assault.
Emergency companies reported injury in at the least 5 of the capital’s 10 districts. In Solomianskyi district, a five-story residential constructing was partially destroyed and the roof of a seven-story constructing caught fireplace. Fires additionally broke out at a warehouse, a storage complicated and an auto restore facility.
In Sviatoshynskyi district, a strike hit a 14-story residential constructing, sparking a hearth. A number of automobiles additionally caught fireplace close by. Blazes had been additionally reported at non-residential amenities.
In Shevchenkivskyi district, an eight-story constructing got here below assault, with the primary flooring sustaining injury. Falling particles was recorded in Darnytskyi and Holosiivskyi districts.
Ukraine’s nationwide railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, stated drone strikes broken rail infrastructure in Kyiv.