Russia Launches Extensive Drone Assault on Kyiv
In a prolonged assault lasting eight hours, Russian forces targeted Kyiv with a barrage of drones overnight on Wednesday, marking a continued escalation of attacks nearly 1,000 days into the conflict following their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities reported that the Russian military deployed a mix of drones in both singular and swarm tactics, entering Ukrainian airspace from multiple directions and at varying altitudes.
Despite Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepting approximately three dozen drones, debris from intercepted drones resulted in significant damage to a hospital, as well as residential and office buildings within the capital. Notably, a fire broke out on the 33rd floor of an apartment building due to the falling debris. Reports indicated that two individuals sustained injuries during the drone strikes.
Missile Strikes on Zaporizhzhia
On Thursday, the situation escalated further as Russia executed five missile and glide bomb attacks on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia. These strikes tragically resulted in at least one fatality and injured ten others, including a one-year-old child, according to the regional military administration’s press service. The attacks also inflicted damage on residential structures and a local hospital.
Decreased Accuracy, Increased Terror
In recent weeks, Moscow has intensified its bombardment of the Ukrainian capital, with strikes occurring almost daily. The constant night-time explosions and the ominous hum of drones have left the city’s residents in a state of anxiety. Andriy Kovalenko, the director of the Ukrainian government’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, indicated that Russia is increasingly relying on drones to conserve its stockpile of missiles, which are being reserved at strategic aviation airfields.
Kovalenko noted on Telegram that Russia’s deployment of drones serves as a “cheaper tool” for terrorizing civilians, suggesting that these drones have only been able to hit around 10% of their intended targets.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy corroborated this claim, stating that Russia has significantly ramped up its drone operations, now deploying approximately ten times more Iranian-made Shahed drones than during the same period last year. The ongoing conflict has placed immense pressure on Ukraine’s military, which faces challenges in matching the capabilities of Russia’s larger and better-funded military forces. Continued Western support remains pivotal for Ukraine to sustain its defenses in what has turned into a war of attrition in several regions.
The European Union has reported that it has provided nearly €125 billion in financial, military, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine thus far, with member states pledging an additional €50 billion by 2027.
American Uncertainty
However, this latest drone onslaught coincided with significant political developments in the United States, as voters decisively chose to return Donald Trump to the White House. Both Trump and his vice-president-elect, JD Vance, have been vocal critics of U.S. aid to Ukraine, raising concerns in Kyiv, Brussels, and other European capitals. Official figures indicate that the United States has been the largest single contributor to Ukraine’s defense efforts, having provided over €160 billion since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
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Trump, set to take office in January 2025, has previously claimed he could end the war “in one day,” though he has not elaborated on the mechanisms for achieving such an outcome. Earlier this year, he alarmed allies by suggesting he would instruct Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” regarding NATO members, whom he accused of not meeting their financial commitments to the alliance.
