Russia Launches Largest Aerial Attack on Ukraine, Killing Four and Damaging Government Building

In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, killing four people and damaging a key government building in Kyiv's capital. The attack involved 810 drones and decoys, with Ukraine's air force shooting down 747 drones and four missiles. The government headquarters, home to Ukraine's cabinet and its ministers, was damaged, with police blocking access to the building and fire engines and ambulances arriving on the scene. The attack marked a significant escalation in Russia's air campaign, which had previously spared government buildings in the city center.

Key Takeaways:

• The attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with 810 drones and decoys launched.
• Ukraine's air force shot down 747 drones and four missiles, with the remaining 63 drones and nine missiles hitting targets across the country.
• Four people were killed and 44 wounded in the attack, including a mother and her three-month-old child whose bodies were dug out of the rubble.
• At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, including a nine-storey residential building and a four-storey residential building.
• Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky called for sanctions on Russia and strengthening Ukraine's air defenses, saying "the world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed."
• The Russian defense ministry claimed to have used "high-precision weapons" and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases, and logistics facilities across Ukraine.

Statistics:

• 810 drones and decoys were launched by Russia in the attack.
• 747 drones and four missiles were shot down by Ukraine's air force.
• 63 drones and nine missiles hit targets across the country.
• Four people were killed and 44 wounded in the attack.
• At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, including a nine-storey residential building and a four-storey residential building.

Sources:

• Associated Press
• Ukraine's air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat
• Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky
• Ukraine's prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko
• Russian defense ministry