KYIV: Ukraine early on Sunday said that Russia launched its fifth drone attack in the past two weeks on the capital city of Kyiv, marking a concerning escalation in hostilities.
According to Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, the latest air raid alert in Kyiv was triggered by a significant drone threat. This incident marks at least the fifth consecutive attempt by Russian forces to target Kyiv using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past fortnight.
“All of the drones were intercepted and destroyed by our air defenses, preventing any damage or casualties in Kyiv,” Popko stated via Telegram.
Popko emphasized that these repeated drone attacks illustrate Russia’s persistent efforts to exploit vulnerabilities and test new tactics for potential strikes on the Ukrainian capital.
“They are systematically trying to find new approaches and expose the weaknesses in our air defense systems,” Popko added.
Meanwhile, Mykola Oleshchuk, head of Ukraine’s Air Force, provided further details on the overnight attack, claiming that Ukrainian defenses had successfully downed 35 out of 39 drones launched by Russia across 10 regions of Ukraine.
Oleshchuk also reported the launch of three Iskander and two Kh-59/69 missiles during the same period, noting that two of the Kh-59/69 missiles failed to reach their intended targets.
However, Oleshchuk did not provide specific information regarding the fate of the remaining four drones and three Iskander missiles allegedly deployed by Russian forces during the latest confrontation.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on Ukraine’s claims.
