In a significant escalation of hostilities, Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals. This operation marks one of Kyiv’s most extensive aerial assaults since the onset of the war.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that it managed to destroy 822 Ukrainian drones overnight. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, approximately 600 drones were detected heading toward the capital, with about a third intercepted in the Moscow region.
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Tragically, an 83-year-old man lost his life when a Ukrainian drone struck a private residence in the Moscow region. Local Governor Andrey Vorobyov confirmed this incident, which also included a drone attack that caused a fire at a warehouse owned by Russian retail giant Wildberries in Podolsk, as evidenced by images depicting billowing black smoke.
In another incident, a drone assault targeted three towns in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, resulting in the death of five people, according to local Governor Yury Slyusar. This attack involved over 150 drones and inflicted damage on multiple homes and a railway station, also igniting a forest fire.
Throughout 2023, Ukraine has intensified its offensive operations against Russia, employing long-range missiles and drone swarms to strike military facilities and energy infrastructure. Notably, the Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted Wildberries depots, leading to the destruction of billions of dollars worth of merchandise and bringing the conflict closer to the Russian populace nearly four and a half years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In a reciprocal act, a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left 14 others injured, as reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via social media. Additionally, one more person was killed in the city of Sumy.
Meanwhile, a Russian assault on Kyiv caused widespread fires throughout the capital, resulting in injuries to six people. President Zelenskyy commented on the situation, stating, “Wherever the Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure.” He noted that air raid alerts persisted across numerous regions as another wave of drones was launched.
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For ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine, visit AP News.
