Ukrainian officials reported on Thursday that Russia unleashed a sustained missile and drone assault on ports, industrial areas, and distribution centers in Kyiv and other cities, with some attacks being thwarted.
As commuters made their way to work in the capital, they heard the sounds of air defenses shooting at swarms of drones following an overnight assault, which the Ukrainian military stated involved an unconfirmed number of ballistic missiles and 258 drones.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha tweeted that “Russia executed a significant strike against Ukraine overnight, focusing on ports, grain storage, energy, industry, and other infrastructure using ballistic and hypersonic missiles along with combat drones.”
The Ukrainian defense forces claimed to have intercepted seven ballistic missiles, marking an improved success rate after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced earlier this week that Kyiv had obtained a limited supply of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors.
These interceptors are designed to take down fast-moving ballistic missiles, which are challenging to target, yet the limited availability has made Ukraine more susceptible to Russia’s escalating aerial offensive.
Russia, which initiated its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, also reported being attacked overnight, with a drone strike temporarily disrupting operations at a logistics hub operated by the online retailer Ozon in the city of Ufa, according to the company.
Ukraine has been targeting multiple Ozon sites since Saturday as part of a broader campaign against major e-commerce firms like Wildberries, asserting that they play a role in supporting Russia’s military operations.
Smoke wafts from a Kyiv warehouse, behind a field of sunflowers, on Thursday. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)
Ukraine has secured additional commitments of support from allies, including Britain, which announced it would provide Kyiv with access to classified technology for the development of its own Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
Moscow issued a warning on Thursday, stating that it may target British military installations both within and outside Ukraine “in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory utilizing British weaponry.”
Air-raid sirens wailing
Throughout the afternoon in Kyiv, air-raid sirens blared as drones flew across various neighborhoods, resulting in injuries to four individuals from falling debris.
Ukrainian flags are seen waving, as smoke rises above the centre of Kyiv, following a Russian attack on Thursday. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)
In Kharkiv, a northeast city, a lunchtime strike on a shopping center resulted in one fatality and two injuries, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Additionally, attacks targeted a distribution center for the prominent Ukrainian retailer COMFY in the Kyiv area and obliterated another distribution site for a leading toy manufacturer, as reported separately by their chief executives on social media.
Roshen, a major chocolate producer established by former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, also reported the destruction of one of its warehouses located outside Kyiv.
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Russian strikes also targeted industrial facilities, energy plants, and other critical infrastructure in the central Poltava and southern Odesa regions, as well as the southeastern city of Kryvyi Rih, according to officials.
The assaults caused delays to train services across multiple regions, stranding passengers for extended periods.
Retired major-general Scott Clancy states that Ukraine has been engaged in a war of attrition, with Western allies providing sufficient support to sustain its efforts but not enough to achieve victory. He emphasizes that Ukraine urgently requires enhanced air defense systems and long-range capabilities as Russia increases missile production.
The Russian defense ministry claimed that strikes targeted steelworks in Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, an oil refinery in the Poltava region, logistics hubs around Kyiv, and three ports in the Odesa area.
Additionally, six Russian drones entered the airspace of neighboring Moldova, prompting local authorities to report the incident, leading Moldovan President Maia Sandu to “strongly condemn this intimidation.”
One of the drones was discovered on Moldovan territory.
