Kiev: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that Russia launched an overnight attack on Ukraine using 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles. According to reports, Zelenskyy noted that all the missiles were aimed at the capital Kyiv, and its surrounding areas.
The attack in and around the Ukrainian capital resulted in one death and left eight people, including a child, injured.
Officials reported that the strikes on Kyiv and its vicinity damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and a major bridge spanning the Dnipro River. Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that Russia launched ballistic missiles in several waves, shaking the entire city. Several of these missiles struck the ‘Northern Bridge.’
Homes and other buildings were damaged in the attacks.
Russia claims that it targeted military infrastructure. Furthermore, it stated that it carried out a major assault targeting Ukraine’s military industrial complex as well as energy and transport infrastructure in and around Kyiv.
Also Read: Delhi's Air Quality Worsens Ahead Of Diwali As Pollution Monitoring Stations Report Data Outages
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its aerial attacks on Ukraine, even as its ground offensive has largely stalled. Nearly five years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, energy infrastructure in major cities is being targeted by missiles and drones that are extremely difficult to intercept.
Expanding the scope of its strikes in recent weeks, the Kremlin has also begun targeting bridges in Kyiv. This has severely disrupted traffic in the city, which has a population of over 3 million.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the recent attacks had also damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine's central Zhytomyr region.
Talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to take place in Abu Dhabi.
This attack comes just days before a new round of trilateral talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi. These discussions are part of US-backed peace efforts, which have yet to yield any significant results.
According to the media reports, European countries have made it clear that Russia must first end its war against Ukraine before discussions can begin on Moscow's wider security concerns in Europe. The report highlights that European leaders remain opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin's pre-war demands, particularly his call for NATO to withdraw its presence from Eastern Europe.
Also Read: Bombay High Court Mandates Three-Hour Deadline For Removal Of Pirated 'Ramayana' Content
Meanwhile, a trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States is scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, aimed at bringing an end to the war that has been ongoing since February 2022.
Following a previous meeting in Geneva in February, this will mark the fourth round of such discussions a process that first began during the Trump administration.