Overnight, Ukrainian officials reported a significant Russian missile and drone strike on Kiev. The alleged attack comes on the heels of three days of relentless Ukrainian drone raids targeting Russia. Moscow claims to have intercepted nearly 1200 hostile UAVs during this period.
Explosions rocked Kiev around 10 pm on Friday, with further blasts continuing into the early hours of Saturday. Ukraine’s Air Force repeatedly warned of incoming ballistic missiles and drones throughout the night. Kiev’s air defenses engaged multiple targets simultaneously, according to authorities. While at least eight injuries from falling debris were reported, no fatalities have been confirmed.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. It’s worth noting that Russia regularly conducts drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure, consistently maintaining that civilian targets are avoided.
This latest escalation follows a week of significantly increased Ukrainian attacks, according to the Russian military. They reported intercepting a total of 1,177 long-range drones between May 20th and 23rd. The initial wave of attacks focused on the border regions of Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk, but air defenses were activated across several other regions, including the Moscow region, which saw multiple nights of drone attacks.
The intense drone activity has caused significant disruptions, including repeated closures of airports in the Moscow region and surrounding areas, leading to considerable flight delays. Similar disruptions occurred earlier this month, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Interestingly, this major strike and the ongoing conflict coincide with the commencement of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev. The first phase of the exchange began on Friday, with further swaps anticipated throughout the weekend. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that following the completion of the prisoner exchange, Moscow will likely present its draft peace memorandum, a proposal previously discussed during negotiations in Istanbul last week. The situation remains fluid and the implications of this latest attack are still unfolding.
