In Kyiv, two individuals lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries due to Russian missile and drone strikes in Ukraine overnight, causing damage to various sites, including infrastructure and energy facilities, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities on Saturday. The assault in Kyiv led to multiple fires and destruction of residential structures, including a kindergarten, as reported by city officials.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko expressed concern over the deliberate targeting of civilian and energy infrastructure in these strikes, emphasizing Russia’s alleged attempt to create a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine coinciding with the onset of winter. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha disclosed that Russian missiles and drones also attacked the energy grid, railroads, and residential areas in Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Sumy.
The Defence Ministry of Russia stated via Telegram that the overnight attacks specifically aimed at Ukrainian military-industrial complexes and energy infrastructure supporting their operations. Additionally, the ministry claimed to have intercepted 121 Ukrainian drones, including seven allegedly heading towards Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine appealed for Western air defense systems to safeguard Ukrainian cities from the continuous assaults by Russia. Clouds of smoke engulfed Kyiv on Saturday morning, prompting firefighters to race against time to extinguish fires across the city. Efforts to contain fires in a large warehouse and another building were successful by midday with the aid of helicopters.
Zelenskyy underscored the significance of Patriot air defense systems in countering Russia’s missile attacks, citing the need for international support to prevent further threats to civilian lives. Ukraine is currently in negotiations to procure 25 Patriot air defense systems from the United States to enhance its defense capabilities.
The Ukrainian air force reported downing four missiles and 50 drones out of the nine missiles and 62 drones launched in the overnight attacks. Five direct missile hits and 12 drone strikes were recorded at 11 different sites across the country.
Zelenskyy emphasized the effectiveness of Patriot systems in neutralizing Russian ballistic missiles and called upon the U.S., Europe, and G7 nations to collaborate in averting future attacks on Ukraine.
