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At least three people were injured and the city’s zoo and other central areas were damaged by falling missile fragments, according to Kiev city officials.
The strike rang out for more than 20 minutes in the capital, making it the most violent in recent months. Kiev’s military chief, Serhiy Popko, told Telegram that the attack was “unusual in density and the largest number of missile attacks in a short period of time.”
Ukrainian officials said the barrage provided the latest evidence that Ukraine desperately needs to boost its aviation capabilities.
Ukrainian officials claim perfect interception rates, and it is the Western-donated Patriots that can fend off attacks by Russia’s most sophisticated weapons, such as the hypersonic Kinzhal and Dagger, which fly at more than five times the speed of sound. It was recognized as an air defense system. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Ifnat said Russia had spent millions of dollars on advanced missiles after failed attempts to hit targets in the capital region.
“The enemy is trying to hit their target,” Inat said. “At the moment, we had the goal of hitting specific facilities in the metropolitan area. I don’t know if
Ifnat said the Russians opened fire from multiple locations. “They attacked with missiles from various air, land and sea bases,” he said. Ifnat and other officials said Russia also attacked the capital with drones at night.
Russia “appears to have launched a sophisticated and complex attack in terms of multiple trajectories, multiple missiles,” said Tom Narako, director of missile defense projects at the Institute for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. Stated.”
“The idea is that ballistics come from one direction, cruise missiles come from another direction, and drones come from another direction,” said Narako.
Narraco supported the assessment that Russia is aiming at high-value targets, not simply trying to distract. “When you’re firing Kinzhal, you’re not firing for effect,” he says.
The drone strikes, in particular, appear to be part of an ongoing effort by Moscow to test newly supplied Western air defense systems in Ukraine, possibly exploring vulnerabilities or more intense ground fighting expected in the coming weeks. It is believed to be aimed at depleting Kiev’s missile stockpile ahead of the .
Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, said the West could address the missile shortages in Ukraine’s aging Russian air defense system by sending its own systems, but Western air defenses could not. also said the supply was limited. .
“We don’t have enough systems and missiles to send to Ukraine, and the defense industry can’t grow fast enough to meet the demand,” Glico said, adding that only two Patriot systems are being supplied to Ukraine. pointed out.
The Ukrainian military commander-in-chief, Gen. Valery Zarzhny, wrote in Telegram on Tuesday that the drones included both Iranian-made Shahed attack drones and Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones.
“Everything will be destroyed!” Zarujinyi wrote.
The Ukrainian military also said it had intercepted nine Kalibr cruise missiles and three Iskander land-based missiles fired from ships in the Black Sea. About an hour after the first attack sounded the aviation alarm, it rang again as Ukraine reported a second shot, this time from an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Fragments of the missile fell in the center of the Solomyansky district, injuring three people and setting non-residential buildings and several cars on fire.
The Kiev Zoo was also hit by falling objects, but no animals were reportedly injured. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram that debris from a rocket hit a tree, but now the branches were cut and the zoo opened at 10 am as usual.
Ukrainian air defense enhancements, including the Patriot system, have spared Kiev since Russia resumed near-daily strikes on the capital in late April.
This success created a sense of relief, albeit an illusion. Few people responded in the city’s packed bars and restaurants when the air raid sirens sounded around 8 p.m. Monday night, but the sirens quickly stopped and there were no reports of attempted raids. .
Ukraine announced earlier this month that it had used the Patriot system to shoot down a Russian Kinzhar (Dagger) hypersonic missile over Kiev, downing one of Russia’s most feared but most expensive weapons. showed the possibilities.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in a recent interview with The Washington Post that Russia has stopped trying to destroy Ukraine’s infrastructure and is now dismantling its air defense system. Reznikov reiterated in an interview that Ukraine urgently needs more firepower.
“We need 40 Patriots, 40 IRIS-Ts and 40 NASAMS,” said Reznikov, referring to US-made systems and two other surface-to-air missile systems.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mikhail Podryak posted on Twitter on Tuesday criticizing Western officials who have insisted that Kiev “needs no aviation or long-range missiles”, making Moscow a “nightmare” for Ukraine. “It will be easier to create,” he said.
Podoljak did not name specific individuals, but President Biden personally denied Zelensky’s request for the U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, saying he did not need them.
In a text message to the Post, Podoljak said his words were directed at partners who “still believe” that such a weapons transfer “will lead to escalation.” On the contrary, he said, this would “lead to more conflict and more deaths.”
“Let’s be honest,” said Podoljak. “We send a specific message to our partners every time Russia attacks a Ukrainian city demonstrably.”
“These are ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, attack drones and reconnaissance drones aimed at peaceful Ukrainian cities and their inhabitants, not expecting a threat at 3 a.m.,” he added.
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