1 killed in ‘most huge’ Russian drone assault on Kyiv

At the least one individual was killed Saturday night time within the “most huge” Russian drone assault on Kyiv for the reason that begin of the conflict as town ready to have fun its founding.

Serhii Popko, a senior Kyiv navy official, stated Russia launched Iranian-made Shahed drones in the “most huge assault” on town, which lasted greater than 5 hours, The Associated Press reported.  A 41-year-old man was killed and a 35-year-old girl was hospitalized after particles fell on a nonresidential constructing and sparked a fireplace, the AP famous.

The information service additionally reported that Ukraine’s Air Pressure stated {that a} record-breaking variety of Shahed drones have been launched throughout the nation. The nation’s air pressure additionally famous that 52 out of the 54 drones launched have been shot down by air protection programs.

Ukrainian air defenses have been bolstered by Western-supplied programs, together with U.S.-made Patriot protection programs. Ukraine used the Patriot programs for the primary time earlier this month to intercept a Russian ballistic missile.

Gov. Oleh Syniehubov stated a 61-year-old girl and a 60-year-old man have been additionally killed within the northeastern Kharkiv province in two separate shelling assaults on Saturday, the AP added. The AP additionally reported that Ukrainian officers stated that the timing of the assaults, which got here hours earlier than the founding of town is well known on Kyiv Day on Sunday, was not coincidental.

“In the present day, the enemy determined to ‘congratulate’ the folks of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the assistance of their lethal UAVs (unmanned aerial automobiles),” Popko additionally wrote on Telegram.

“The historical past of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians,” Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s chief presidential aide, stated on Telegram.