In a somber turn of events, four lives, including that of a young child, were tragically lost as Russian forces unleashed a barrage against Kyiv and its neighboring areas, according to local officials on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ukraine struck back by targeting another Russian oil refinery.
Kyiv’s residents find themselves in a relentless cycle of drone and missile onslaughts. The capital’s beleaguered air defense systems are straining under the pressure of Moscow’s ongoing four-year military campaign. Conversely, Ukraine’s strategic strikes on Russian oil sites have led to significant fuel shortages, inciting unease across the border.
Grandparents and grandson killed in Ukraine’s Kyiv region
In the latest round of attacks, a devastating blow came early Saturday when Russian drones took the lives of two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson in the Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv. The assault left their home in ruins.
Others were not spared from this tragedy. Three family members and a neighbor who rushed to help are now receiving hospital care, as confirmed by local officials. The attack has left an indelible mark, reducing structures to debris and leaving vehicles in tatters.
In the heart of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported the grim news of at least one other casualty due to an attack involving six ballistic missiles, which targeted civilian infrastructure.
In its daily report, Ukraine’s air force said it had downed or intercepted 135 of 151 drones launched by Russia overnight. The attack also involved six ballistic missiles and other guided missiles.
Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, even though Moscow insists its forces target only military facilities.
Moscow is exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the US-made Patriot systems, the sole air defense weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles.
Zelensky has pleaded with other countries, especially the US, to send more of the ammunition made scarcer by the Iran war.
Failing that, he wants to make Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or win permission from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia that can hit its missile launchers.
Following the latest attacks, Zelensky appealed on X for more sanctions to “prevent the production of these ballistic missiles,” along with “anti-ballistic capabilities” and “interceptor missiles.”
Ukraine’s air defenses shot down around 5,300 drones and missiles last month, Ukraine’s defense ministry said Friday, just under 60% of the around 9,000 attack drones and missiles Russia fired in the same period.
Ukraine strikes a Russian oil facility
In Russia, five people were wounded when a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the southern Krasnodar region due to debris from a falling drone, local officials said.
Ukraine’s almost daily long-range drone and missile strikes using domestically developed weapons have battered Russian oil facilities for months. The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin.
Zelensky in Serbia for talks
The latest attacks came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived Friday for his first official visit to Serbia, one of the few European countries that have maintained friendly relations with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.
“Important talks are scheduled for today and tomorrow,” Zelensky said Friday. He added that he will meet with Vucic and Serbia’s Prime Minister Djuro Macut.
“We will discuss expanding economic ties between our countries, relations with the European Union, and other areas where we can find practical opportunities that benefit our peoples, as well as security issues,” Zelensky said.