{"id":7359,"date":"2023-05-28T18:46:30","date_gmt":"2023-05-28T17:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=7359"},"modified":"2023-05-28T18:55:27","modified_gmt":"2023-05-28T17:55:27","slug":"russian-largest-drones-attack-on-ukraine-on-the-eve-of-national-day-celebrations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/analysis\/defense\/war\/russian-largest-drones-attack-on-ukraine-on-the-eve-of-national-day-celebrations\/2023\/05\/28\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian largest drones attack on Ukraine on the eve of national day celebrations"},"content":{"rendered":"

KYIV<\/b>\u00a0(AP)<\/span> –<\/b><\/span> As<\/b><\/span> Kiev<\/b><\/span> prepared<\/b><\/span> to<\/b><\/span> celebrate<\/b><\/span> its<\/b><\/span> National<\/b><\/span> Day<\/b><\/span>,<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Ukrainian<\/b><\/span> capital<\/span> faced<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> biggest<\/b><\/span> drone<\/span> attack<\/span> since<\/span> the<\/span> start<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Russian<\/b><\/span> War,<\/b><\/span> local<\/span> officials<\/span> said.<\/b><\/span> At<\/span> least<\/span> one<\/span> person<\/span> was<\/span> killed,<\/span> but<\/span> officials<\/span> said<\/span> a<\/b><\/span> number<\/b><\/span> of<\/span> drones<\/span> were<\/span> shot<\/span> down,<\/span> demonstrating<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> air<\/span> defense<\/span> capabilities.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>KYIV <\/b><\/span>military<\/b><\/span> official<\/b><\/span> Serhiy<\/b><\/span> Popko<\/b><\/span> said<\/b><\/span> Russia<\/span> launched<\/span> its<\/b><\/span> “maximum<\/b><\/span> attack”<\/b><\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span> on<\/b><\/span> Saturday<\/span> night<\/b><\/span> using<\/b><\/span> Iranian-made<\/span> Shahid<\/b><\/span> drones.<\/b><\/span> The<\/span> attack<\/span> lasted<\/span> more<\/span> than<\/span> five<\/span> hours<\/b><\/span> and<\/b><\/span> air<\/span> defenses<\/b><\/span> reportedly<\/span> shot<\/b><\/span> down<\/span> more<\/span> than<\/span> 40<\/span> drones.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Mayor<\/b><\/span> Vitali<\/b><\/span> Klitschko<\/b><\/span> said<\/b><\/span> a<\/b><\/span> 41-year-old<\/span> man<\/span> died<\/b><\/span> and<\/span> a<\/span> 35-year-old<\/span> woman<\/span> was<\/span> hospitalized<\/span> after<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> seven-story<\/span> non-residential<\/b><\/span> building<\/span> caught<\/b><\/span> fire<\/b><\/span> after<\/b><\/span> falling<\/b><\/span> debris.<\/b><\/span> Debris<\/span> from<\/span> a<\/span> drone<\/span> damaged<\/span> the<\/span> building<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> Association<\/b><\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Blind.<\/span> On<\/span> Sunday<\/span> morning,<\/span> a<\/b><\/span> member<\/span> of<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> organization,<\/b><\/span> Volodymyr<\/span> Golbenko,<\/b><\/span> came<\/span> to<\/span> pick<\/span> up<\/span> my<\/b><\/span> belongings.<\/b><\/span> He<\/span> was<\/span> rescued<\/b><\/span> by<\/span> his<\/span> son<\/span> Mykola,<\/span> who<\/span> was<\/b><\/span> trying<\/b><\/span> to<\/b><\/span> explain<\/b><\/span> what<\/b><\/span> his<\/b><\/span> office<\/b><\/span> looked<\/b><\/span> like<\/b><\/span> now,<\/b><\/span> searching<\/b><\/span> through<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> rubble<\/b><\/span> for<\/span> his<\/span> father’s<\/span> belongings.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Volodymyr<\/span> Golubenko<\/span> worked<\/span> at<\/span> this<\/span> place<\/span> for<\/span> more<\/span> than<\/span> 40<\/span> years.<\/span> He<\/span> says<\/span> it<\/span> has<\/b><\/span> become<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> home<\/span> for<\/span> many<\/span> blind<\/span> people<\/b><\/span> because<\/span> they<\/span> come<\/span> here<\/span> to<\/span> talk<\/span> and<\/span> support<\/span> each<\/span> other.<\/span> “Without<\/b><\/span> work,<\/b><\/span> it’s<\/span> hard<\/b><\/span> to<\/span> find<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> job<\/span> now<\/b><\/span> because<\/span> these<\/span> events<\/span> [the<\/b><\/span> war]<\/b><\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> going<\/span> on<\/span> since<\/span> last<\/span> year.<\/span> At<\/span> least<\/span> people<\/span> come<\/span> here<\/span> to<\/span> talk,”<\/b><\/span> said<\/span> Volodymyr.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Like<\/span> Golbenko,<\/b><\/span> many<\/span> in<\/span> his<\/span> district<\/span> heard<\/span> Shahed’s<\/b><\/span> drones<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time.<\/span> Among<\/span> them<\/span> was<\/span> Yana,<\/span> 36,<\/b><\/span> who<\/span> has<\/span> three<\/span> boys.<\/span> The<\/span> family<\/span> hid<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> corridor<\/span> all<\/span> night.<\/span> “Something<\/b><\/span> started<\/span> to<\/span> explode<\/span> above<\/span> us.<\/span> ‘Children<\/b><\/span> were<\/b><\/span> scared<\/b><\/span> and<\/b><\/span> ran<\/span> here,'”<\/b><\/span> Yana<\/b><\/span> said.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ukraine<\/span> announced<\/b><\/span> Saturday<\/span> night<\/span> was<\/span> also<\/span> a<\/b><\/span> record<\/b><\/span> in<\/span> terms<\/span> of<\/span> Shahed<\/span> drone<\/span> attacks<\/span> across<\/span> the<\/span> country.<\/span> According<\/b><\/span> to<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> military<\/b><\/span> chief<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> staff,<\/b><\/span> 58<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> 59<\/span> drones<\/span> launched<\/b><\/span> were<\/span> shot<\/span> down<\/span> by<\/span> air<\/span> defense<\/span> systems.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Russia<\/span> has<\/span> carried<\/b><\/span> out<\/b><\/span> repeated<\/b><\/span> drone<\/span> strikes<\/b><\/span> against<\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> most<\/span> of<\/b><\/span> which<\/b><\/span> have<\/b><\/span> been<\/b><\/span> shot<\/span> down.<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> claimed<\/span> earlier<\/b><\/span> this<\/span> month<\/span> to<\/span> shoot<\/b><\/span> down<\/b><\/span> some<\/span> of<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> hypersonic<\/span> Kinzhal<\/span> missiles,<\/span> which<\/span> Russian<\/span> President<\/span> Vladimir<\/span> Putin<\/span> touts<\/b><\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> key<\/span> competitive<\/span> advantage.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> the<\/span> northeastern<\/span> province<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> Kharkiv,<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> 61-year-old<\/span> woman<\/span> and<\/span> a<\/span> 60-year-old<\/span> man<\/span> were<\/span> killed<\/span> in<\/span> two<\/span> separate<\/span> grenade<\/b><\/span> attacks,<\/b><\/span> local<\/b><\/span> governor<\/b><\/span> Ole<\/b><\/span> Sinievbov<\/b><\/span> said.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Kiev<\/b><\/span> Day<\/span> marks<\/span> the<\/span> official<\/b><\/span> founding<\/b><\/span> anniversary<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> city.<\/b><\/span> The<\/span> day<\/span> is<\/span> usually<\/span> celebrated<\/span> with<\/span> live<\/span> concerts,<\/span> street<\/span> parties,<\/b><\/span> exhibitions<\/span> and<\/span> fireworks.<\/span> A<\/b><\/span> smaller<\/b><\/span> celebration<\/b><\/span> was<\/b><\/span> planned<\/span> for<\/span> this<\/span> year,<\/span> which<\/b><\/span> marks<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> city’s<\/span> 1,541st<\/span> anniversary.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ukrainian<\/b><\/span> officials<\/b><\/span> said<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> timing<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> drone<\/span> strike<\/b><\/span> was<\/span> probably<\/b><\/span> no<\/b><\/span> coincidence.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“Ukrainian<\/b><\/span> history<\/span> has<\/b><\/span> long<\/b><\/span> been<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> nuisance<\/b><\/span> that<\/b><\/span> has<\/b><\/span> disturbed<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/b><\/span> people,”<\/b><\/span> Andriy<\/span> Yermak,<\/span> chief<\/b><\/span> adviser<\/b><\/span> to<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Ukrainian<\/b><\/span> president,<\/b><\/span> told<\/b><\/span> Telegram.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“Today,<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> enemy<\/span> has<\/b><\/span> decided<\/span> to<\/span> ‘bless’<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> Kiev<\/b><\/span> people<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> help<\/span> of<\/span> dangerous<\/b><\/span> UAVs<\/span> (unmanned<\/span> aerial<\/span> vehicles),”<\/b><\/span> Popko<\/span> wrote<\/span> in<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> messaging<\/span> app.<\/span> Local<\/span> officials<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Krasnodar<\/span> region<\/span> of<\/b><\/span> southern<\/b><\/span> Russia<\/b><\/span> said<\/span> several<\/b><\/span> drones<\/b><\/span> approaching<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Irsky<\/b><\/span> refinery<\/b><\/span> were<\/b><\/span> destroyed<\/b><\/span> by<\/b><\/span> air<\/span> defense<\/span> systems.<\/b><\/span> The<\/span> governor<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Russian-backed<\/b><\/span> Luhansk<\/span> region<\/b><\/span> in<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> Far<\/b><\/span> East<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> Ukraine,<\/b><\/span> Leonid<\/span> Pashchnik,<\/b><\/span> said<\/span> on<\/b><\/span> Sunday<\/b><\/span> that<\/b><\/span> two<\/span> people<\/span> were<\/span> killed<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/b><\/span> shelling<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> town<\/span> of<\/span> Almaznaya<\/b><\/span> by<\/b><\/span> Ukrainian<\/b><\/span> forces.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Belgorod<\/b><\/span> province<\/b><\/span> in<\/b><\/span> southern<\/span> Russia,<\/b><\/span> which<\/b><\/span> borders<\/b><\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> was<\/b><\/span> also<\/span> attacked<\/b><\/span> by<\/b><\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> forces<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday,<\/span> local<\/span> officials<\/span> said.<\/span> Regional<\/span> governor<\/b><\/span> Vyacheslav<\/span> Gladkov<\/span> said<\/b><\/span> on<\/b><\/span> Sunday<\/span> that<\/span> a<\/span> 15-year-old<\/span> girl<\/span> and<\/span> a<\/span> 17-year-old<\/span> boy<\/span> were<\/span> injured<\/b><\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> shelling.<\/span> Drone<\/span> attacks<\/span> on<\/b><\/span> Russian<\/span> border<\/span> regions<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> a<\/span> regular<\/span> occurrence<\/span> since<\/span> the<\/span> invasion<\/span> began<\/b><\/span> in<\/span> February<\/span> 2022,<\/span> with<\/span> an<\/b><\/span> increase<\/b><\/span> in<\/b><\/span> attacks<\/span> over<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> past<\/b><\/span> month.<\/span> Earlier<\/span> this<\/span> month,<\/span> a<\/b><\/span> Krasnodar<\/b><\/span> refinery<\/span> was<\/span> hit<\/b><\/span> by<\/span> drones<\/span> for<\/b><\/span> the<\/b><\/span> second<\/b><\/span> day<\/b><\/span> in<\/b><\/span> a<\/b><\/span> row.<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ukrainian<\/span> air<\/span> defenses,<\/span> bolstered<\/span> by<\/span> sophisticated<\/span> Western-supplied<\/span> systems,<\/span> were<\/b><\/span> adept<\/span> at<\/span> repelling<\/b><\/span> Russian<\/span> airstrikes<\/b><\/span> by<\/b><\/span> both<\/span> drones<\/span> and<\/span> missiles.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/b><\/span> early<\/b><\/span> May,<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> intercepted<\/b><\/span> heavy<\/b><\/span> Russian<\/span> airstrikes<\/b><\/span> on<\/span> Kiev<\/b><\/span> and<\/b><\/span> shot<\/b><\/span> down<\/span> all<\/span> missiles<\/span> aimed<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> capital.<\/span> The<\/span> bombing,<\/b><\/span> which<\/span> also<\/b><\/span> hit<\/b><\/span> all<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> included<\/span> six<\/span> Russian<\/span> Kinzhal-class<\/b><\/span> hypersonic<\/span> aeroballistic<\/b><\/span> missiles,<\/span> which<\/b><\/span> Russian<\/span> President<\/span> Vladimir<\/span> Putin<\/span> said<\/b><\/span> was<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> key<\/span> strategic<\/span> competitive<\/span> advantage.<\/b><\/span> It<\/b><\/span> has<\/b><\/span> repeatedly<\/b><\/span> touted<\/b><\/span> itself<\/b><\/span> as<\/b><\/span> one<\/b><\/span> of<\/b><\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> advanced<\/span> weapons<\/span> in<\/span> its<\/b><\/span> arsenal.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Also<\/span> on<\/span> Sunday,<\/span> the<\/span> death<\/span> toll<\/span> from<\/span> Friday’s<\/span> missile<\/span> attack<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> central<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> city<\/span> of<\/span> Dnipro,<\/span> the<\/span> regional<\/span> capital<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Dnipropetrovsk<\/span> province,<\/span> rose<\/span> to<\/span> four.<\/span> Locality.<\/b><\/span> Governor<\/b><\/span> Serhiy<\/b><\/span> Raisak<\/b><\/span> said<\/span> three<\/span> missing<\/b><\/span> people<\/span> have<\/b><\/span> been<\/b><\/span> confirmed<\/span> dead.<\/span> Thirty-two<\/b><\/span> people,<\/span> including<\/span> two<\/span> children,<\/span> were<\/b><\/span> injured<\/b><\/span> in<\/span> an<\/b><\/span> attack<\/b><\/span> on<\/b><\/span> a<\/span> building<\/span> housing<\/b><\/span> a<\/b><\/span> psychology<\/span> clinic<\/b><\/span> and<\/span> a<\/b><\/span> veterinary<\/span> hospital.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KYIV\u00a0(AP) – As Kiev prepared to celebrate its National Day, the Ukrainian capital faced the biggest drone attack since the start of the Russian War, local officials said. At least one person was killed, but officials said a number of drones were shot down, demonstrating Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. KYIV military official Serhiy Popko said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[276,280,2480,2482],"tags":[4389,1315,4394,1322,4426,1765,5541,1943,5542,1944,2538,3479,3688,3691,4276,4280,4338,4385,4387,4388],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/drn.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7362,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359\/revisions\/7362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}