On Sunday, Russian forces carried out their most extensive aerial assault on Ukraine since the conflict commenced, deploying a multitude of drones, decoys, and missiles.
Ukraine’s air force reported that 810 drones and decoys, along with a minimum of 13 missiles, were employed in the attack. Of these, 747 drones and four missiles were successfully intercepted.
In Kyiv, at least two individuals lost their lives, and 20 sustained injuries. Comprehensive casualty figures have not yet been released.
Visual evidence from Kyiv indicates that a government structure and at least one residential property were hit by explosives.
The Air Force stated that nine missiles and 54 drones registered impacts at 33 locations, and the remnants of intercepted targets landed in eight areas.
The governmental edifice that appeared to be hit in the assault was the Cabinet of Ministers building. Historically, such targeting of government structures in Ukraine’s capital has been avoided.
This building serves as the seat of Ukraine’s Cabinet, accommodating the offices of its ministers. Access to the structure was cordoned off by police as fire engines and ambulances arrived.
“This marks the initial occasion where the government building has sustained damage from an enemy assault, affecting both its roof and upper floors,” stated Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. “We will reconstruct these structures, but the lives that have been lost are irreplaceable.”
She further emphasized, “The global community must address this devastation with concrete actions, not merely rhetorical statements. There is an imperative to intensify sanctions pressure, particularly targeting Russian oil and gas.”
Last week, the President urged European leaders to discontinue their procurement of Russian oil, which is currently financing the conflict in Ukraine.
Subsequent to the invasion of Ukraine, the EU has significantly reduced its imports of Russian oil; however, the president’s remarks underscore that its energy imports from Moscow have not been entirely severed.
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