Russia-Ukraine war: ‘Largest drone attack’ on Kyiv before city’s anniversary day

Ukraine said 52 of the 54 drones launched by Russia were shot down by air defence systems. File photo / AP

Ukraine’s capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. At least one person was killed.

Russia launched the “most massive attack” on the city overnight Saturday with Iranian-made Shahed drones, said Serhii Popko, a senior Kyiv military official.

The attack lasted more than five hours, and air defence reportedly shot down more than 40 drones.

A 41-year-old man was killed and a 35-year-old woman hospitalised when debris fell on a seven-storey non-residential building and started a fire, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Ukraine’s air force said Saturday night was also record-breaking in terms of Shahed drone attacks across the country. Of the 54 drones launched, 52 were shot down by air defence systems.

In the northeastern Kharkiv province, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said a 61-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were killed in separate shelling attacks.

Kyiv Day marks the anniversary of Kyiv’s official founding. The day is usually celebrated with live concerts, street fairs, exhibitions and fireworks. Scaled-back festivities were planned for this year, the city’s 1541st anniversary.

The timing of the drone attacks was likely not coincidental, Ukrainian officials said.

“The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians,” Ukraine’s chief presidential aide, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram.

“Today, the enemy decided to ‘congratulate’ the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles],” Popko also wrote on the messaging app.