Massive Russian Drone Assault Hits Ukraine
At least seven people were killed in overnight Russian strikes across Ukraine, including five in the central city of Dnipro, where an apartment building was badly damaged.
Over 600 Drones in Saturation Attack
Ukrainian authorities said they repelled the vast majority of more than 600 Russian drones launched during the attack, which appears to have been the largest drone assault in several days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest attack lasted “practically all night,” while rescue workers were still searching for survivors under rubble in Dnipro on Saturday morning.
“The Russians’ tactics have not changed: strike drones, cruise missiles, and a significant amount of ballistics,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “Most of the targets are ordinary infrastructure in cities. Residential buildings, energy, and enterprises have been damaged.”
British Jets Scrambled from Romania
British jets were scrambled from Romania during the heavy attack when Russian drones were detected near the border. However, the UK Ministry of Defence rejected reports that it had shot down any drones.
Romania’s defence ministry later clarified that British Typhoon jets “did not enter Ukrainian airspace” and “no drones were shot down by the aircraft, because the drones did not breach Romanian airspace.” A Nato official said British jets “had the authority to engage the potential threats,” but “engagement was not required as the targets were neutralised outside Romanian airspace.”
Ukraine’s Long-Range Counterstrike: Drones Hit Russian City 1,600km Away
Meanwhile, Ukraine carried out some of its longest-distance drone strikes deep inside Russian territory.
In Yekaterinburg, almost 1,000 miles (1,600km) from Ukraine’s border, the governor said six people were injured when a building was struck. In nearby Chelyabinsk, a local leader said drones targeting an industrial facility were intercepted.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it had shot down 127 drones over more than a dozen regions.
Kharkiv Direction: Russia Claims Capture of Village
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it had taken control of Bochkove, a village in the Kharkiv region, on Saturday morning, according to state-linked news agency Tass. The settlement is close to Ukraine’s northern border with Russia, where invading forces have made repeated attempts to push further south towards the city of Kharkiv.
Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Russia’s claim, nor has BBC News been able to independently verify it.
Diplomatic Dimension: Zelensky Seeks Saudi Support
With peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at an impasse, Ukraine continues to seek international backing for its military efforts.
On Friday, Zelensky met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the second round of talks between the pair in recent months. Saudi Arabia and its neighbours have a renewed interest in Ukraine’s drone warfare expertise since coming under Iranian attack in recent weeks. The crown prince and Zelensky discussed strengthening air defence cooperation and joint military production, according to an official account of the meeting.
Source: BBC News