Russia conducted a significant drone and missile strike on Ukraine early Friday, resulting in casualties in Kyiv and the southern region. Ukrainian authorities reported six fatalities in Kyiv and two in the south due to attacks targeting energy facilities, residential buildings, and infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that the Russian forces deployed 430 drones and 18 missiles in one of the most extensive assaults on Kyiv to date. While Kyiv retaliated with long-range strikes, Zelenskyy urged allies to strengthen sanctions against Russia.
Although most of the drones and missiles were intercepted by the air force, falling debris and fires caused damage to high-rise apartments, a school, a medical facility, and administrative buildings across nine districts of the city.
According to Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, at least 34 people, including two children, were injured in the city, with nine individuals, including a pregnant woman, receiving medical treatment. Power outages were reported in central Kyiv, the southern Odesa region, and the eastern Donetsk region.
Residents witnessed flames engulfing various locations in the city, as people sought safety amidst the rubble-strewn streets outside their homes. Anastasia, 29, described the chaos when her apartment building was struck, highlighting the immediate need to save lives and provide assistance to those in distress.
The governor of the Kyiv region confirmed injuries to six individuals, including a seven-year-old child, due to drone and missile attacks, resulting in several fires. In a related incident, a 55-year-old man in Bila Tserkva sustained burns and was hospitalized.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated in February 2022, leading to a protracted state of war between the two nations. Zelenskyy noted that debris from an Iskander missile struck the Azerbaijani Embassy, prompting Azerbaijan to summon the Russian ambassador in protest.
In another development, Novorossiysk, a key Russian Black Sea port, suspended oil exports following a reported Ukrainian drone attack, impacting global oil supply. The assault damaged a docked ship, apartment buildings, and an oil depot in Novorossiysk, injuring crew members.
The Ukrainian attack on Russian oil infrastructure is part of a broader strategy to undermine Moscow’s financial capabilities for sustaining the conflict. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium and the Yuzhnaya Ozereevka terminal briefly halted oil loadings in response to the heightened security alert.
Despite the absence of immediate verification, Reuters reported on the attacks, which impacted Russian crude oil shipments via Novorossiysk. The Sierra Leone-flagged Arlan oil tanker was among the vessels affected, with three crew members receiving medical treatment.
Zelenskyy confirmed the use of Ukrainian “Long Neptune” cruise missiles on targets in Russia, emphasizing their increasing effectiveness. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have intercepted 216 Ukrainian drones across various regions, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
