Russia Strikes Ukraine with Drones and Missiles, Killing 4 in Kyiv and Injuring Dozens Nationwide. Image: APF
(The News Post) – Russia mounted one of its most ferocious overnight assaults on Ukraine in months with a barrage of more than 500 drones and more than two dozen missiles in multiple regions, Ukraine’s air force reported on Wednesday. Explosions were heard echoing through the country’s western region, as NATO warplanes scrambled in nearby Poland to stand guard.
The military of Ukraine stated that Russia fired 502 drones and 24 missiles during one night. The Ukrainian defenders shot down or shut off 430 drones and 21 missiles, but at least 69 drones and three missiles made it to their targets. 14 areas suffered damage in the attacks.
Regional authorities reported a series of explosions in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, and Lutsk, whereas the authorities of Kyiv informed that at least one drone crashed inside the capital city. In Khmelnytskyi, a person was killed by falling debris after air defense brought down incoming missiles, regional administrator Serhiy Tyurin reported. Two missiles and three drones were downed in the region.
In Lviv, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi reported 15 drones came down on the city, just 40 miles from the Polish border. A warehouse was “partially destroyed,” but nobody was hurt. Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk swore that civilian infrastructure had been hit by drones, and Ivano-Frankivsk regional administration head Svitlana Onyshchuk said that there was an enormous industrial fire. More than 130 rescue workers were sent to put out the fire. There were no fatalities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as deliberate ones against civilian infrastructure. In a Telegram post, he said Russia targeted energy infrastructure, transport hubs, residential quarters, and even garages. “These are demonstrative strikes. Putin is demonstrating his impunity,” Zelenskyy said. “This aggression continues only because of the absence of pressure on Russia’s war economy.” The president of Ukraine has repeatedly warned that Russia increases its shelling ahead of winter to disable Ukraine’s power supply and demoralize civilians.
NATO on High Alert
The nighttime bombardment drew a reaction on the other side of the border, in Poland. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said that NATO and Polish air forces were scrambled on the raid, and air defense and radar units achieved full readiness. “Polish and allied aircraft were flying heavily in our airspace,” it stated in an X (formerly Twitter) statement. After around four hours, troops withdrew once the bombing had ceased.
The rise follows as Zelenskyy travels across Europe to rally Ukraine’s defense support. On Tuesday, he conferred with Baltic and Northern European politicians in Denmark. On Wednesday, he was to sit down with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in advance of a wider summit on European security guarantees.
Meanwhile, British Defense Secretary John Healey was in Kyiv for a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. They discussed cooperative defense efforts and new bilateral agreements to support Ukraine’s long-term defense capabilities.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on a visit to EU nations sharing borders with Russia, cautioned that Moscow remains a threat. “Putin has not changed and will not change. He is a predator,” she stated. “He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.”
Russia Looks East
While Ukraine seeks greater Western support, Russian President Vladimir Putin turned towards Asia. He had a series of meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Washington has accused these countries of assisting the war efforts of Moscow: Pyongyang by sending troops and ammunition, and Beijing and New Delhi by purchasing Russian oil that funds the Kremlin’s war economy.
Ukraine continues its own long-range strikes within Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that its forces shot down 105 Ukrainian drones during the night. Zelenskyy recently posted that Kyiv is developing a new “technological headquarters” to raise domestic production of air defense systems, missiles, and drones. “We will upscale the production of our strike means,” he tweeted. Ukrainian authorities argue that attacks of such a nature on Russian military and energy installations are necessary to knock out Moscow’s war machine.
Despite incessant appeals by U.S. President Donald Trump for a ceasefire and direct talks, Russia continues nocturnal shelling. In August, the attacks mounted, particularly after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Between August 27 and 28, there was a heavy drone and missile attack on Kyiv that claimed at least 23 civilian lives. Zelenskyy argues that Russia’s incessant attacks show Moscow has no genuine interest in peace. “Russia openly ignores the world’s efforts to end this war,” he said.
There is another winter on the horizon, and Ukrainian leaders warn that Moscow’s strategy of attacking energy and civilian infrastructure can deepen the humanitarian crisis. For most Ukrainians, Tuesday night’s shelling was another harsh reminder that the war is not yet over.
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