In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia executed its largest drone assault on Ukraine on Saturday night, coinciding with the eve of the war’s third anniversary, as reported by Ukrainian officials. Spokesman for the country’s Air Force Command, Yuriy Ignat, indicated that an unprecedented total of 267 Russian drones were launched in a single, coordinated offensive.
Impact of the drone attack
The attack targeted thirteen regions, resulting in substantial destruction to infrastructure and at least three reported casualties, although many drones were successfully intercepted. President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude towards Ukraine’s emergency services for their quick response and called for increased support from Europe and the United States to ensure “a lasting and just peace.”
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that this drone assault marked the highest number of drones deployed in a single attack. Reports indicated that while 138 drones were shot down, 119 of the drones used were decoys, which were lost without causing damage due to electronic jamming efforts. In Kyiv, the attack translated into six hours of air alerts.
“Hundreds of drones brought death and destruction overnight,” stated Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska.
Zelensky further highlighted the scale of the attacks, claiming that Russia had launched approximately 1,150 drones, alongside 1,400 bombs and 35 missiles within the week. The drones employed in these assaults, primarily Iranian-made Shahed-136 models, have increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure and population centers since their initial use against military targets in the Kharkiv region.
Casualties and international implications
Tragically, on the same day, two civilians lost their lives in a drone strike on a residential building in Kherson, including a mother of twins. In Kryvyi Rih, a man perished and at least three others sustained injuries in a separate attack. A 53-year-old woman was hospitalized due to injuries from a drone strike in Zaporizhzhia, while emergency services were summoned to manage multiple fires ignited in the capital, Kyiv.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported damage to several homes and vehicles due to the multi-wave drone strikes on Kyiv, although there were no immediate reports of injuries. Drone interceptions were confirmed across at least thirteen regions, including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Odesa. Additionally, the Ukrainian air force reported three ballistic missiles launched by Russia during the night.
As the conflict approaches its third anniversary, diplomatic negotiations for a potential peace settlement remain complex. Recent discussions between the United States and Russia took place in Saudi Arabia, notably without the presence of European delegates or Ukraine. This exclusion led to a hastily convened summit in Paris among European leaders.
President Zelensky criticized the absence of Ukraine from the US-Russia dialogues, suggesting that US President Donald Trump was operating within a “disinformation space” influenced by Moscow. This assertion prompted Trump to label Zelensky a “dictator.”
Looking ahead, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Washington on Monday, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will follow on Thursday, reaffirming the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and emphasizing the importance of its sovereignty during discussions with Trump.
Pope Francis, currently hospitalized with a respiratory ailment, remarked that the approach of the war’s third anniversary is “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”