Russia's Growing Drone Warfare: A Nightly Assault on Ukraine

Russia intensified its drone attacks on Ukraine, with a deadly overnight strike causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. Despite Ukrainian defenses neutralizing many drones, the frequency of assaults has significantly increased as the war nears its third year, with Moscow denying civilian targeting amidst rising tension.

In a significant escalation, Russia launched a nighttime drone attack on Ukraine, resulting in the death of three civilians and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, officials reported.

The interior ministry stated that debris from the drones killed two men and a woman in central Kyiv, and one person sustained injuries. The attack impacted a residential apartment, damaged eight private houses, commercial buildings, and several cars, according to Kyiv regional authorities. The Ukrainian air force confirmed shooting down 25 of 58 Russian drones, with 27 others diverted through electronic means.

As the conflict approaches its third year, Russia has escalated air assaults, deploying thousands of drones against Ukrainian targets nearly nightly. While many are intercepted, a considerable number have succeeded in hitting their marks, with Ukrainian defenses scrambling to adapt to the increasing threat. Moscow maintains that it does not intentionally target civilians.

(With inputs from agencies.)