Russia launched its biggest air strike against Ukraine in two days since the war began, attacking the capital Kyiv and other cities across the country with hundreds of drones, Ukrainian officials said Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had launched more than 1,560 drones since the start of Wednesday. On Thursday night, Moscow launched 670 drones and 56 missiles against Ukraine, he said. Air defense forces shot down 41 missiles and 652 drones overnight, the air force said.
“These are definitely not the actions of those who believe that the war is coming to an end,” Zelensky said.
“It is important that allies do not remain silent about this strike. And it is also important to continue to support the defense of our airspace.”
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the war continues unabated, although Russia’s progress on the battlefield has stalled this year. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the attacks.
Ukraine’s long-range drone and missile attacks have disrupted energy and manufacturing facilities inside Russia, with three regions reporting strikes on Wednesday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted and destroyed 286 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
