Ukraine’s air force reported on Friday that Russia launched 72 drones overnight, though Kyiv shot down 33 of the 72 Russian drones, while 34 others vanished from radar before reaching their targets.
Five drones struck various buildings in the northern region of Chernihiv, wounding one person, the air force said. One downed drone fell on a building in the capital Kyiv but did not cause casualties.
Video footage filmed by Reuters carried the sound of an explosion and showed a fire burning in the distance in Kyiv during the overnight attack.
More footage after daybreak showed the charred corner of a high-rise apartment block in Kyiv with windows blown out and a line of cars parked below suffering damage.
Massed Russian aerial attacks using long-range drones have been a near-daily occurrence over Ukraine in the past several months, as Moscow looks to exhaust Kyiv’s air defences almost three years into its full-scale war against its neighbour.
Drone War Intensified
In recent months, drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine have intensified, marking a new phase in the ongoing conflict.
Both nations have increasingly relied on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for strategic military operations, targeting critical infrastructure, military bases, and supply routes.
Ukraine has been particularly effective in its use of drones, employing them not only for reconnaissance but also for offensive strikes on Russian-controlled areas.
The Ukrainian military has claimed significant successes, downing a substantial number of Russian drones aimed at key locations, while also launching counterattacks that have damaged Russian assets.
Russia, in turn, has ramped up its own drone operations, using UAVs to conduct surveillance and carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities and defence systems.
Moscow’s drone strikes have escalated, aimed at crippling Ukraine’s power grid and communications infrastructure, as well as disrupting the country’s military logistics.
(With inputs from Reuters)
