Russia carried out a significant drone and missile assault on Kyiv early yesterday, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals and injuring many others in attacks on energy facilities, residential complexes, and crucial infrastructure, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities. President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed that the Russian military deployed 430 drones and 18 missiles during the assault, marking it as one of the largest strikes on the capital to date. Zelensky also stated that Kyiv was retaliating with long-range strikes and called for increased sanctions on Russia from allies.
Although the air force reported that a majority of the drones and missiles were intercepted, officials noted that debris and fires caused damage to tall residential buildings, a school, a medical center, and administrative structures spread across nine districts within the city, which is home to approximately 3 million people. Zelensky mentioned that the Azerbaijani Embassy was struck by debris from an Iskander missile. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko revealed that at least 29 individuals, including two children, sustained injuries throughout the city, with a pregnant woman among the nine individuals receiving hospital treatment.
Furthermore, Zelensky conveyed that Ukrainian forces had launched “Long Neptune” cruise missiles at Russian targets overnight, emphasizing the increasing success rate of such operations. He underscored, “Overnight our warriors successfully used ‘Long Neptunes’ against designated targets on Russian territory – and this is our entirely just response to Russia’s ongoing terror.” In a separate development, sources within the industry relayed that Russia’s key Black Sea port of Novorossiysk ceased oil exports following a significant drone attack attributed to Ukraine, impacting Russian commodity shipments. This attack, one of the most substantial on Russian oil infrastructure in recent months, followed Ukraine’s intensified strikes on Russian oil refineries in August to undermine Moscow’s financial capabilities for the ongoing conflict.
Throughout the year, Ukrainian long-range drone strikes by air and sea have persistently disrupted Russian oil infrastructure, targeting ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, a crucial pipeline network, and several oil refineries. Russian officials acknowledged that yesterday’s assault had also caused damage to a docked ship, residential buildings, and an oil depot in Novorossiysk, resulting in injuries to three crew members aboard the vessel.