Russia launches largest drone attack yet on Ukraine

Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine, with the best variety of drones and missiles launched in a single evening but.

Not less than 14 individuals, together with three kids, have been killed and dozens injured, officers stated. The assault got here a day after the Ukrainian capital Kyiv suffered one of many heaviest assaults of the warfare.

Russia has been ignoring requires a ceasefire.

“With out actually sturdy strain on the Russian management, this cruelty can’t be stopped,” Ukraine’s president stated. “America’s silence will solely encourage Putin” – Volodymyr Zelensky added in an obvious effort to exert strain on President Donald Trump who has stated the Russian chief is interested by ending the warfare.

Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow presently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

This contains Crimea – Ukraine’s southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Rescuers have been working in additional than 30 cities and villages after the “huge” strike, Zelensky stated in an announcement on Sunday morning.

“Russia is dragging out this warfare and continues to kill daily,” he stated.

“The world could go on for a weekend, however the warfare continues, regardless of weekends and weekdays. This can’t be ignored.”

When it comes to the numbers of drones and missiles launched, Saturday evening was the best but.

Russia is ready not solely to only manufacture them at a sooner charge, however they’re additionally evolving. Shahed drones at the moment are being filled with extra explosives and improved know-how to evade detection.

Ukraine’s Air Pressure stated that since 20:40 on Saturday native time (17:40 GMT), Russia had carried out strikes utilizing 367 missiles of assorted sorts, unmanned aerial automobiles (UAVs) and drones.

The air power stated it had shot down 45 cruise missiles and destroyed 266 UAVs, with most areas in Ukraine affected and hits recorded in 22 places.

Deaths have been reported in a number of areas.

Russia’s defence ministry stated it had inflicted injury on targets together with army airfields, ammunition depots and electrical warfare stations, claiming injury throughout 142 areas.

In keeping with Ukraine’s Minister of Inside Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, 13 areas have been attacked, with greater than 70 individuals injured, 80 residential buildings broken, and 27 fires recorded.

He referred to as it a “mixed, ruthless strike aimed toward civilians”.

Of the 12 individuals killed, three have been kids aged eight, 12 and 17 within the Zhytomyr area, Ukraine’s state emergencies service DSNS stated.

Klymenko stated they have been from the identical household and their mother and father have been in hospital.

Two girls, aged 85 and 56, have been killed after a home in Kupiansk was hit, in accordance with Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional workplace.

Within the Kyiv area, 4 individuals have been killed and 16 injured, together with three kids, DSNS stated.

In Kyiv, native officers reported 11 accidents, a number of fires and injury to residential buildings, together with a dormitory.

Tons of of individuals headed to the town’s deep metro stations for shelter. The din of drones crammed the air, sometimes punctuated by the booms of air defences, or the moments of influence. A number of fires have been reported.

A BBC colleague messaged to say a block of flats had been destroyed, only a 5 minute drive from the place she lived.

The strikes come because the capital marks its annual Kyiv Day vacation.

In Russia, the defence ministry stated 110 Ukrainian drones have been destroyed and intercepted over 12 Russian areas and the Crimea peninsula between midnight and 0700 native time.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 12 drones heading in direction of the capital have been shot down.

He added that emergency companies crews have been deployed to evaluate injury brought on by falling drone particles.

Within the Tula area, simply south of Moscow, drone wreckage crashed within the courtyard of a residential constructing, smashing home windows in numerous flats, native governor Dmitriy Milyaev stated.

No-one was injured, he added.

Sunday can also be the third and last day of a serious prisoner of warfare trade between the 2 sides, and after this weekend, there may be even much less hope it’s going to result in additional co-operation.

On Friday, Ukraine and Russia every handed over 390 troopers and civilians within the largest prisoner trade since Russia launched its full-scale assault in February 2022.

On Saturday, Zelensky introduced that one other 307 Ukrainian prisoners had returned residence as a part of an trade cope with the Kremlin.

And on Sunday, Ukraine and Russia every confirmed 303 of their troopers had returned residence – bringing the full over the three days to 1,000 prisoners every.

The swap follows the primary face-to-face talks between the 2 sides in three years, which came about in Turkey.

Earlier this week, Trump and Putin had a two-hour telephone name to debate a US-proposed Ukraine ceasefire deal.

Trump stated he believed the decision had gone “very effectively”, and added that Russia and Ukraine will “instantly begin” negotiations towards a ceasefire and “an finish to the warfare”.

Nonetheless, Putin has solely stated Russia would work with Ukraine to craft a “memorandum” on a “potential future peace”, and has not accepted a 30-day ceasefire.