Ukraine war: Fresh attacks on Kyiv after intense drone barrageon May 29, 2023 at 10:10 am

Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, has come under fresh attack, following two nights of heavy drone strikes.

A military spokesman said missiles were used in the latest barrage. They were all reportedly shot down and there are no reports of casualties.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to take shelter and warned about falling debris.

Russia has launched 16 air attacks on Kyiv this month.

Monday morning’s attack, however, was unusual for two reasons: because it took place during daylight hours – and because it seemed to be targeted at the centre of the city.

All other air assaults on the capital so far in May have taken place at night and appeared to be directed at critical national infrastructure and air defences on the outskirts.

Today’s attacks involve greater risk to the people of Kyiv, because more will be out and about, at work and in the streets.

Air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat said that Iskander ballistic missiles were used in the latest attack and that it was possible S-300 and S-400 missiles had also been fired.

Air raid sirens reportedly also rang out across several other Ukrainian regions.

Local military commanders in Kyiv accused Russia of changing its tactics and deliberately targeting the civilian population. It certainly appears that Moscow wants to step up its pressure on Ukraine even further ahead of any counter-offensive.

Oleksandr Scherba, the ambassador-at-large at Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs, told the BBC that the last few days had been very difficult for Kyiv residents.

“Almost every night, the skies look and sound like another Star Wars episode, but we don’t feel much of Russian rockets hitting their targets here within the city area. And this is all thanks to the decent countries, decent people of the world who gave us this air defence,” he said.

Living in the capital was anything but normal at the moment, Mr Scherba said, adding that the drone attacks and sleepless nights had become “part of our routine”.

On Sunday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky praised his country’s air defence forces after Kyiv sustained the largest drone attack since the war began.

“You are heroes,” said Mr Zelensky, after military commanders said most of the so-called kamikaze drones launched by Russia were brought down.

In its recent attacks, Russia – which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 – has been using kamikaze drones as well as a range of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Analysts say Moscow is seeking to deplete and damage Ukraine’s air defences ahead of its long-expected counter-offensive.

On Saturday, one of Ukraine’s most senior security officials told the BBC the country was ready to launch such an operation.

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the powerful National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said an assault to retake territory from President Vladimir Putin’s occupying forces could begin “tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week”.

Ukraine has been planning a counter-offensive for months. But it has wanted as much time as possible to train troops and to receive military equipment from Western allies.

On Monday, in Russian region of Belgorod, the governor said that several frontier settlements were being shelled simultaneously by Ukrainian forces.

In the meantime, Russian forces have been preparing their defences in the seized regions of south-eastern Ukraine.