Explosions rocked Kyiv early morning today, sending many inside shelters as officials rang air raid alert for more than half an hour.
Ukraine’s air defence forces shot down a total of 11 Shahed drones, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said shortly after.
Kyiv oblast governor Oleksiy Kuleba said that air defence systems have been activated and are hitting targets.
This comes as Washington is expected to deliver its most advanced air defence system to help Ukraine protect its skies from Russian attacks, risking a response from Vladimir Putin who may view the move as an escalation.
Defence secretary Lloyd Austin could approve a directive to transfer at least one Patriot battery unit — seen as the US’s most modern missile defence system but also usually in short supply with allies racing to secure one for their nation — to Ukraine.
An announcement confirming the delivery of Patriot could be made as soon as tomorrow, according to US media reports. Alexander Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and onetime leader of Ukraine policy at the White House, said it would be a “very, very significant” addition to Ukrainian defence capabilities.
