The local authorities reported damage to infrastructure and military facilities in several regions
Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky speaks during a news conference following the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023. © Louise Delmotte / POOL / AFP
Russia conducted one of the most massive drone attacks on Ukraine to date, President Vladimir Zelensky said on Sunday evening, amid media reports of explosions across the country. Moscow’s Ministry of Defense has yet to comment on the matter.
In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky said, “today, our country went through one of the largest Russian attacks by Shaheds – 54 drones at a time,” referring to Kamikaze UAVs, which Western countries and Kiev claim were provided to Russia by Iran. Tehran has denied that it supplied Moscow with drones during the conflict. The Kremlin has said that it only uses Russian-made weapons in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president claimed that almost all of the drones had been shot down, while adding that “unfortunately, there were some hits in Zhytomir Region” in the central part of the country.
Earlier, Vitaly Bunechko, the head of the local administration, said Russia conducted a strike on an infrastructure facility in the region. He did not provide further details on the explosion, but noted that there were no casualties.
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Zelensky went on to say that “the most powerful strike was aimed against Kiev Region,” claiming that 36 drones had been shot down in the area.
His comments echoed an earlier statement by Kiev’s military administration, which said, “this was the most massive drone attack on the capital” since the start of the conflict more than a year ago, resulting in at least one person dead and two others injured. He added that several buildings were damaged and one warehouse caught fire.
The administration of Khmelnitsky Region in the western part of the country said the Russian strikes targeted a military facility, resulting in a fire at a warehouse, and five aircraft were disabled.
Moscow significantly ramped up missile attacks on Ukrainian military and energy infrastructure in late October 2022 in response to the deadly bombing of the Crimean Bridge, which Russia said was orchestrated by Kiev.
The new reported wave of attacks also came in the wake of a Ukrainian cross-border raid into Belgorod Region earlier this month, which claimed the life of at least one civilian, with several others injured. The area, along with other Russian regions bordering Ukraine, has also been the target of artillery and drone strikes by Kiev.
