Two individuals lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries in Kyiv after Ukraine officials confirmed that Russian missiles and drones struck various locations in Ukraine overnight, causing damage to infrastructure and energy facilities.
The assault in Kyiv resulted in multiple fires and destruction of residential structures, including a kindergarten, as per city authorities.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko remarked, “These attacks once again targeted our civilian and energy infrastructure,” emphasizing Russia’s attempts to create a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine during winter.
Further, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russian missiles and drones also targeted the energy grid, railroads, and residences in Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Sumy.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with ‘coalition of the willing’ countries in the U.K. and Mark Rutte, secretary general of NATO, welcomed recent U.S. sanctions on Russia as a way to draw them to the negotiating table.
Russia’s Defence Ministry, in a statement on Telegram, mentioned that the attacks targeted Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises and energy infrastructure facilities supporting its operations.
Additionally, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported downing 121 Ukrainian drones overnight, including seven heading towards Moscow.
Zelenskyy urges for Western air defence systems
Large smoke clouds hung over Kyiv on Saturday morning as firefighters worked to extinguish fires throughout the city.
By midday, one fire in a 140,000-square-foot warehouse was contained with the help of two helicopters, and another building fire was successfully put out.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of Patriot air defence systems in safeguarding Ukrainian cities against ongoing Russian assaults.
Zelenskyy highlighted the significant number of ballistic and ‘Kinzhal’ missiles launched by Russia at Ukraine this year, underscoring the urgency for Patriot systems to counter such attacks.
He further stressed the collaboration with capable partners to implement discussed strategies, as mentioned in an English post on X.