Kyiv targeted in overnight drone attack, first in 12 days

Ukrainians claim to intercept three cruise missiles and eight Iran-made drones

By AFP 2 July 2023, 2:58 pm 0 Edit

Illustrative: Ukrainian air defense intercepts a Shahed drone mid-air in the third Russia aerial attack on the capital in the last 24 hours in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 30, 2023. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia has attacked Kyiv in an overnight drone attack after a 12-day break, Ukrainian officials said Sunday, with air defense forces destroying all targets.

“Another enemy air attack on Kyiv,” Sergiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said on social media.

He said it was the first drone attack on the Ukrainian capital in 12 days.

“All enemy targets in the airspace around Kyiv were detected and destroyed,” Popko said.

In a separate statement, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday that it had shot down three cruise missiles and eight Iranian-made attack drones deployed by Moscow’s forces overnight.

“Eight Shaheds were launched from the southeast, and three Kalibr missiles were launched from the Black Sea,” the air force said.

It did not provide any details on the Kyiv attacks.

A source familiar with the situation told AFP that no missile was shot down over Kyiv overnight.

Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, said that three houses were damaged by falling debris in the Kyiv region.

One man sustained a leg injury, Kravchenko added.

Ukraine has become increasingly adept at taking down Russian cruise missiles and drones after appealing to Western allies for greater air defense capabilities.

Kyiv, which had been relatively spared from attacks since the beginning of the year, faced frequent nightly aerial raids in May.