Russia Launches Waves of Drone Attacks on Kyiv, According to Ukraine’s Military

By Gleb Garanich and Pavel Polityuk

KYIV – Russia conducted multiple drone attacks targeting Kyiv early Monday morning. Ukrainian military reports indicate that air defense units successfully protected the city during the five-hour assault.

Witnesses in the capital reported hearing numerous explosions, which were attributed to air defense systems in action, and observed objects being intercepted in the sky. According to Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, all drones launched at the city were either destroyed by defense systems or neutralized using electronic warfare measures.

Preliminary reports indicate that there were no casualties or damage from the attacks. However, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned that some drone debris fell near a residential building, prompting emergency services to respond to the site.

On the same day, the Ukrainian air force announced that it had shot down 67 of the 73 drones and one of the three missiles launched by Russia during the incident. Governor Ruslan Kravchenko also reported no damage to critical or residential infrastructure in the Kyiv region. While the attack caused fires in five districts, there were no reported casualties.

In the southern region, Mykolaiv governor Vitaliy Kim confirmed that the attacks led to a fire at a critical infrastructure facility.

Throughout September, Russia has escalated air assaults on Kyiv and various parts of Ukraine, focusing on energy, military, and transportation infrastructures, resulting in the deaths of numerous civilians. Russia, however, denies targeting civilians during its invasion, which it refers to as a "special operation" since its initiation in February 2022.