Ukraine Repels A Massive Attack from Russia

Dozens of drones rained over the capital and were Shot down

Last week the first squadron of F16s destroyed Putin's Crimea Bridge along two boats guarding it with ground-to-air missiles. If Ukraine keeps getting these jets no doubt they will take care of their own skies nation can keep their citizens protected if they can't protect the slies. hat night those

F-16s took over the Crimean skies. It was great to see it. It was worth it for me to be up in the middle of the night to see it. Adam

 

Henri Astier

Reuters

Ukraine says it has repelled "one of the most massive" attacks launched by Russia since the start of the war.

Air defense systems shot down 89 Iranian-made explosive drones and another missile overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Wednesday.

The capital Kyiv was the main target of the attack. Buildings in the region were damaged by falling debris but there were no reports of casualties.

The attack comes more than 29 months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Almost daily bombardments have put the country's air defenses under considerable strain.

Russia insists it is targeting military and energy sites, but strikes on residential areas are frequent.

Drones open new battlefront in Ukraine

Tracking the war with Russia

Early on Wednesday the air force said it had "withstood and repelled a massive attack" by Iranian-made Shahed drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said on Telegram: "Ukrainians can fully protect their skies from Russian strikes when they have sufficient supplies."

He added: "The same level of defense is needed against Russian missiles and the occupier's combat aircraft."

Reuters Firefighters work at a site of a strike on a home near KyivReuters

An image released by Ukrainian authorities showed a building damaged by falling debris

Mr Zelensky repeated calls for allies to speed up deliveries of the air defense systems Ukraine relies on, particularly US-made Patriots.

"We need sufficiently courageous decisions from our partners - enough air defense systems, enough range," he said.

Ukraine continues to strike back. Its military said on Wednesday that it had hit a weapons depot in the Russian region of Kursk.

The loc

al governor said a "facility" had been hit overnight, causing a fire, but did not provide further detail.

Meanwhile, Moscow's slow-moving advance into Ukrainian territory is grinding on.

Russian forces made small but incremental gains in July, reportedly capturing eight villages in north-east, eastern, and southern Ukraine in July.

These were said to include Pishchane Nizhne in the Karkhiv region, Vovche, Ivano-Daryivka, and Pivdenne in Donetsk, as well as Rozivka near Zaporizhzhia.