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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Will Maule

Russia hits Kyiv with drone strike as large explosions heard - civilians told to shelter

Russia has launched a large drone strike against Ukraine as officials tell civilians in Kyiv to stay in shelters.

Ukraine's capital was targeted by multiple drones overnight, three days after what authorities described as one of Russia's biggest assaults on Kyiv since the beginning of the war.

Kyiv Oblast Governor Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram that the air defenses in the region of Kyiv Oblast near the capital were operating "due to a Russian attack," the Kyiv Independent reports.

Mr Kuleba requested that residents remain in shelters as the "drone attack continues" with at least two people injured and homes destroyed.

The Kyiv City Military Administration said on Telegram that nine 'kamikaze' drones were shot down over Kyiv during a Russian attack overnight.

(@revishvilig/Twitter)

It added that a critical infrastructure point was hit, without giving more details.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said explosions were heard in two districts, Shevchenkivskyi and Solomianskyi.

Although the capital seemed the main target of the latest Russian attack, the armed forces said that other places in the country were also targeted.

Kamikaze drones, officially called 'loitering munitions', are a cross between cruise missiles and aerial drones.

They explode on impact with a specific target and are difficult to detect due to their size.

(@revishvilig/Twitter)

Ukraine's air force said on Telegram that they were able to destroy 30 of at least 35 self-explosives drones that Russia launched across the country from the eastern side of the Azov Sea.

The Ukrainian military has reported increasing success in shooting down missiles and explosive drones.

Russia has been targeting energy infrastructure, including in Kyiv, as part of a strategy to try to freeze Ukrainians.

On Friday, Ukraine's capital was attacked as part of a massive strike from Russia. Dozens of missiles were launched across the country, triggering widespread power outages.

Shortly before the strike, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on his country's supporters to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems in order to deprive Russia of its "main instrument of terror" - drone and missile attacks.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will use his trip to the Baltic region this week to urge fellow leaders to stand firm in their support of Ukraine by continuing to provide military defence support.

It comes as the UK has announced a fresh supply of hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition as part of its package of defensive aid for 2023, under a £250 million contract.

At the meeting in Riga, Latvia on Monday, the members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) are expected to discuss Ukraine’s defence needs while seeking to accelerate their own co-operation

Mr Sunak said: “From the Arctic Circle to the Isle of Wight, the UK and our European allies have been in lockstep in our response to the invasion of Ukraine, and we remain steadfast in our ambition for peace in Europe once again.

“But to achieve peace, we must deter aggression and our deployments across the region together are vital in ensuring we are able to respond to the gravest of threats.

“I know this Joint Expeditionary Force summit will only underline our close friendships and unwavering support for Ukraine.”

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