At least two individuals lost their lives as a drone struck the National Academy of Sciences in downtown Kyiv on Monday, amidst continuous drone attacks by Russia on the heart of the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that nine individuals perished and over 80 sustained injuries due to Russian drone strikes across the country, with two casualties occurring in the assault on the Academy of Sciences building. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned that 24 people were wounded in multiple attacks on the capital, with six receiving medical treatment.
The city was engulfed in chaos as sirens wailed, smoke billowed into the sky, and air raids persisted throughout the day. Russia’s recent use of faster, high-altitude jet drones to target Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities has posed challenges for defense efforts. Zelenskyy acknowledged the struggle in countering these advanced Russian jet-powered drones, revealing that 90 out of 120 drones fired on Ukraine were propelled by jets, resulting in an interception rate of 57%.
Efforts are underway to enhance interception capabilities, with new interceptors being tested and deployed. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for increased effectiveness and scale in countering the drone threat. The attacks extended beyond Kyiv, targeting various facilities, including a pharmaceutical company, petrol stations, and a medical institution. Zelenskyy also highlighted intelligence reports indicating Russia’s new military mobilization wave and called for international action to curb recruitment efforts by the Russian government.
In Dnipro, a drone strike on a business center claimed three lives, while attacks on economic targets expanded to include data centers and telecom facilities. Additional casualties were reported in Synelnykove, where an individual was killed in a logistics office. The relentless attacks have intensified, prompting Ukrainian authorities to retaliate by targeting Russian oil refineries and online retailers to undermine Moscow’s war efforts. Both sides deny intentionally targeting civilians amidst the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
