Russia Unleashes Devastating Aerial Assault on Kyiv, Killing Six and Wounding Dozens

Image Source: Internet

A major missile and drone barrage launched by Russia on Kyiv early Friday morning resulted in the deaths of six people and widespread destruction, including gaping holes in apartment buildings and fires. A pregnant woman was among at least 35 people wounded in the attack, according to Ukrainian authorities. The assault, which also targeted Odesa in the south and Kharkiv in the northeast, was a particularly calculated attack aimed at causing maximum harm to civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Moscow has denied targeting civilian areas, but Ukrainian officials have repeatedly shown damage to homes and public buildings, contradicting the Russian Defense Ministry's claims. Kyiv residents described harrowing escapes and near misses in the dead of night, with some lucky to have survived. "My hair was on fire," said Mariia Kalchenko, a 46-year-old volunteer rescue dog handler, after her building was hit. Ukraine's air defense systems, including its American-made Patriot systems, were used to repel the attack, with 14 missiles shot down, according to Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian leader has pleaded with foreign supporters to send more of the sophisticated systems to aid in the country's defense. The attack was the biggest on Kyiv in almost three weeks, with most recent Russian aerial attacks aimed at electricity infrastructure around the country ahead of the bitter winter months. Top European defense officials meeting in Berlin on Friday vowed to continue their support for Ukraine. In addition to the attack on Kyiv, Russian drones struck a busy street in Chornomorsk, killing two people and wounding 11 others, including a 19-month-old girl. Ukraine has responded to the Russian attacks by launching its own drones and missiles against targets on Russian soil, including oil refineries and manufacturing plants that supply the armed forces. The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of hitting civilian facilities and claimed the overnight strike on Kyiv came in response to that. However, Zelenskyy said Ukraine used a modification of domestically produced Neptune missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate, with over 60 Ukrainian drones intercepted over the southern Krasnodar region and 45 drones destroyed over the Saratov region. An attack on Russia's Novorossiysk port damaged an oil depot and sparked a large fire, with several residential buildings also damaged and a man hospitalized with injuries.