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Russia launches a large-scale drone attack across Ukraine on eve of war anniversary
Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Overnight, Russia hit Ukraine with its largest single drone attack since the start of the full-scale invasion, which was launched on 24 February 2022, a spokesperson for the country’s air force has said.
Ukraine’s air defence shot down 138 drones while 119 decoy drones were lost. Russia also launched three ballistic missiles. Drones were intercepted in at least 13 regions including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Odesa, according to Ukrainian authorities. Two people in Kherson were reportedly killed in the attacks. Another casualty was reported in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, the industrial city where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grew up.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy added in his post on X earlier today that a “lasting and just peace” in Ukraine can only be achieved through the unity of all its allies, namely Europe and the US.
It comes after US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia this week, without Ukraine’s involvement, raising concerns in Kyiv and the EU that any deal to end the war will be favourable to Moscow.
Some context. On Wednesday, Donald Trump said that Zelenskyy was a “dictator without elections” , warning the Ukrainian president that he “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left”.
Trump also said Zelenskyy had “talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion dollars to go into a war that couldn’t be won, that never had to start”.
After much of what the president said echoed Kremlin talking points, including falsehoods about Zelenskyy’s popularity being at 4% (a recent poll put it at 57%), the Ukrainian leader hit back by saying Trump was caught in a Russian “disinformation bubble”.
Preparations for a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Vladimir Putin are under way, Russia’s deputy foreign minister has said, as Washington departs from the stance of western isolation toward Moscow.
Zelenskyy: Ukrainians 'stand against aerial terror' on daily basis
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging for peace in the region following the large-scale Russian attack. In a post on X, the Ukrainian president wrote:
Every day, our people stand against aerial terror. On the eve of the third anniversary of the full-scale war, Russia launched 267 attack drones against Ukraine — the largest attack since Iranian drones began striking Ukrainian cities and villages. In total, nearly 1,150 attack drones, more than 1,400 guided aerial bombs and 35 missiles of various types were launched this week.
I thank everyone who repels such attacks on a daily basis—our aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the air force and defence forces. I also thank those on the ground who save lives and respond to the aftermath of shelling—the state emergency service, medics, and the national police. The war continues. Everyone capable of helping with air defense must work to enhance the protection of human life.
Russia launches a large-scale drone attack across Ukraine on eve of war anniversary
Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Overnight, Russia hit Ukraine with its largest single drone attack since the start of the full-scale invasion, which was launched on 24 February 2022, a spokesperson for the country’s air force has said.
Ukraine’s air defence shot down 138 drones while 119 decoy drones were lost. Russia also launched three ballistic missiles. Drones were intercepted in at least 13 regions including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Odesa, according to Ukrainian authorities. Two people in Kherson were reportedly killed in the attacks. Another casualty was reported in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, the industrial city where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grew up.
