Russian drones swarm Kyiv from all sides in apparent shift of tactics
Hundreds of Russian drones flying from all directions attacked Kyiv overnight into Thursday in an apparent new Russian tactic, marking a second consecutive night of ferocious attacks on Ukraine.
At least two people were killed, including a 22-year-old police officer who was named by authorities as Maria Dziumaha, and more than a dozen were wounded in the attacks, according to authorities.
CNN staff on the ground in Kyiv witnessed massive, fiery explosions that illuminated the night sky. Smoke filled the air, creating a burning smell and obscuring the visibility in the city center.
Russia has been intensifying its aerial attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, but the assault on Thursday appeared to mark a change in approach from Moscow.
Russia launched 400 drones and 18 missiles, including eight ballistic and six cruise missiles, according to a telegram post from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
They were flying at different altitudes, and attacking from all directions — with some of the drones initially bypassing the capital before abruptly changing direction and speeding back towards the city.
While Kyiv has previously experienced attacks from multiple directions, as Russian drones attempted to bypass the city’s air defenses, the assault on Thursday saw the drones launching towards the city simultaneously, effectively encircling Kyiv before attacking.
This made guarding the capital’s skies even more challenging for the strained Ukrainian air defences. Yet the Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down or disabled 382 of the 415 aerial weapons Russia launched at the country overnight, including all of the ballistic and cruise missiles. That is a stunning success given the scale of the attack, especially given Ukraine’s limited access to air defense systems.
Many Kyiv residents spent another sleepless night in shelters, listening to the terrifying sounds of explosions and drones flying overhead.
Nadiya Voitsehivkya, 63, told CNN her brother-in-law has been taken to hospital with injuries he sustained when his apartment was struck.
“Everything in it was completely destroyed, and (my sister) escaped in her underwear. She managed to escape, but her husband didn’t make it; he was crushed by a slab. The ambulance took him away,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“We don’t know where to turn: I don’t know who can help us. Everything there is burned down; there is nothing left of that apartment.”
As terrifying as the night was for Kyiv’s residents, these massive aerial attacks have become the new normal for Ukrainian civilians.
Just on Wednesday, Russia conducted its largest drone assault since the start of its full-scale invasion, launching 728 drones and 13 missiles in strikes that killed at least one person, according to Ukrainian officials.
“This is an obvious build-up of terror by Russia,” Zelensky said on Thursday, adding that he would be talking to allies about more funding for interceptor drone and air defenses.
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