KYIV: Ukraine claimed on Saturday that it had successfully downed 71 Russian drone attacks overnight in what authorities described as the most significant assault on the capital since the invasion began.
The Ukrainian army stated that these drones were downed over Kyiv, leading to power outages in the city center amid freezing temperatures. The drone assault occurred as Ukraine was observing Holodomor Remembrance Day, a solemn occasion dedicated to commemorating the widespread starvation that afflicted millions in Ukraine during the 1930s under the rule of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
According to Kyiv city authorities, this multiple-drone attack marked the most substantial assault since the full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022. The city experienced a six-hour air raid alert, during which falling debris from the downed drones caused fires and inflicted damage on various buildings. Five people were injured.
Mayor Vitalis Klatsch stated that the enemy persisted in spreading terror, emphasizing the extensive impact of the attack on both infrastructure and civilians. The energy ministry reported that the attack disrupted power, affecting 77 residential buildings and 120 facilities. Repair efforts were underway to restore power.
While Kyiv was the primary target, Ukraine’s army noted that air defenses were activated across southern Ukraine, successfully destroying a guided missile over the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russian Targets Ukraine’s Energy Grid
Amid fears of a renewed Russian campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy grid as winter approached, Kyiv had been on alert, anticipating potential consequences similar to the previous year’s events, where many faced harsh conditions without heating or lighting.
With more than 21 months into Moscow’s offensive, the most intense fighting was concentrated in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the nearly encircled city of Avdiivka. President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked on the symbolic nature of such a large-scale attack on Holodomor Remembrance Day, condemning the Russian leadership for taking pride in causing harm.
Zelensky underscored Ukraine’s perspective on Holodomor, attributing it to deliberate actions by the Soviet Union’s agricultural policies, while Moscow denied this and claimed it was part of a broader famine affecting multiple regions. Zelensky expressed gratitude for the increasing number of countries recognizing Holodomor as a deliberate crime against Ukraine and asserted that Russia’s current attacks were enabled by uncondemned past crimes.
Calling for more support from the West in the form of weapons to counter the Russian invasion, Zelensky voiced concerns that global attention had shifted to other conflicts, notably the Israel-Gaza situation.
