An explosion of a drone is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 25, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
In the early hours of Saturday, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, bore witness to what officials assert as the most extensive drone assault launched by Russia in the ongoing conflict. The city’s residents were jolted from their slumber by the thunderous symphony of air defenses and explosions, a disconcerting overture to the day.
The onslaught commenced, weaving its destructive tapestry across various districts of Kyiv, with successive waves intensifying as dawn broke. The dissonance of air raid warnings persisted for six grueling hours.
Initially reporting a triumph over 71 out of the 75 drones, Ukraine’s air force later amended the count to 74. Notably, 66 of these unmanned crafts met their demise over Kyiv and its environs. Air Force Chief Mykola Oleschuk commended the efficacy of ‘mobile fire’ units – nimble vehicles equipped with machine guns or flak cannons – crediting them with downing nearly 40% of the assailant drones.
In a communiqué on the Telegram app, Mayor Vitali Klitschko disclosed the toll of the attack: five individuals wounded, including an 11-year-old girl, and structural damage spanning multiple districts. Particularly disconcerting was a children’s nursery set ablaze by fragments from a downed drone.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy underscored the poignant timing of the assault, coinciding with the early morning hours when Ukrainians solemnly commemorate the Holodomor famine of 1932-33. This catastrophic event, resulting in the starvation of millions, has been likened by Ukrainian leadership to Russia’s current incursion.
Holodomor, recognized by Ukraine and over 30 other nations as a genocide orchestrated by the Soviet Union, holds deep historical resonance. The Soviet regime, which governed Ukraine during that period, sought to quash the nation’s aspirations for independence. Moscow, however, refutes allegations of intentional genocide, contending that various ethnic groups, including Russians, also suffered due to famine.
The precise target of Saturday’s aerial assault remains shrouded in uncertainty. Nonetheless, Ukrainian authorities had previously cautioned about Russia’s intent to launch an aerial campaign aimed at dismantling Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, reminiscent of its efforts the preceding winter.
The fallout from the attack extended beyond immediate physical damage, as Ukraine’s energy ministry reported nearly 200 structures in Kyiv, including 77 residential units, left without power. Echoing the ominous prelude to a theatrical winter season, Serhiy Fursa, a prominent Ukrainian economist, remarked on Facebook, “It looks like tonight we heard the overture.”
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