KYIV, Ukraine - A devastating drone attack launched by Russia overnight has resulted in the deaths of at least seven people across Ukraine, according to local officials and emergency services. The assault on the capital, Kyiv, coincides with impending ceasefire negotiations set to take place in Saudi Arabia on Monday, where Ukraine and Russia are expected to have indirect U.S.-mediated talks aimed at establishing a pause in long-range strikes targeting critical infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia deployed 147 drones in this latest aggression. Ukrainian air defenses successfully shot down 97 of these drones, while an additional 25 either failed to reach their intended targets due to defensive measures or were neutralized in flight. The regions affected by the drone strikes include Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, Donetsk, and Kyiv itself.
The specifics of the attack on Kyiv were particularly tragic; three individuals, including a five-year-old child, lost their lives, and ten others sustained injuries. Early in the attack, explosions echoed through the city as air raid sirens blared for over five hours. Russian drones and debris from downed drones descended upon residential buildings, causing substantial damage.
According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, two residential buildings in Dnipro caught fire as a result of falling drone debris. A fire on the upper floors of a nine-story structure led to the death of one woman, as reported by the State Emergency Service. In the Podil district, a blaze erupted on the 20th floor of a 25-story building, and separate fires in Holosiivskyi affected a warehouse and office structure, resulting in further fatalities.
In addition to the casualties in Kyiv, the Donetsk region experienced severe violence, with four people killed during Russian attacks there. Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin indicated that three of the fatalities occurred in the frontline town of Dobropillya. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the frequency of these assaults, stating that such attacks have become a regular occurrence in Ukraine.
"This week alone, more than 1,580 guided aerial bombs, almost 1,100 strike drones, and 15 missiles of various types were utilized against our people," Zelenskyy stated. He emphasized the need for innovative solutions and increased pressure on Moscow to cease its military strikes and the ongoing war.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it had intercepted 59 Ukrainian drones during the same overnight period, with 29 being shot down over the Rostov region and 20 more in the southwestern area of Astrakhan. In Rostov, one person was reported killed, and a vehicle was set ablaze due to the alleged Ukrainian drone attack, according to the region's temporary governor, Yuri Slyusar.
