The Ukrainian Air Force said on Saturday it had shot down 71 Shahed attack drones launched by Russia.
Ukraine accused Moscow of carrying out its largest drone attack on the capital Kyiv on the night of Friday to Saturday since the start of the country’s invasion in February 2022.
The Ukrainian Air Force said on Saturday it had shot down 71 Shahed attack drones launched by Russia. “Most of them were destroyed in the Kyiv region”she said on social networks.
Five people, including an 11-year-old child, were injured during the Russian offensive, local authorities said.
The air alert in the capital lasted six hours and falling debris from drones caused fires and damaged buildings in the capital, assured the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
“The enemy continues to sow terror”he indicated.
The attack comes as Ukraine commemorates the Holodomor, the famine caused in the country by the Soviets 90 years ago and which resulted in the deaths of several million people.
“More than 70 Shahed (drones) during the night of the Holodomor commemoration (…). Russian leaders are proud of their ability to kill”reacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on social networks.
Support from Canada and the EU
A few hours earlier, Canadian and European leaders had reaffirmed their support for Ukraine during the Canada-EU summit.
“We support Ukraine and we will support it for as long as it takes, declared the President of the European Council Charles Michel. On the EU side, we have already provided 83 billion euros of support to Ukraine in different areas, including financial and military, and we are ready to do more. In the coming weeks we will make additional decisions. I am optimistic with our Member States in this area.”
But three weeks before a European Council meeting, some member states, such as Slovakia, are reluctant to continue supporting Kyiv.
Recently appointed Prime Minister, Robert Fico reiterated during a visit to the Czech Republic that he did not believe in a military solution in Ukraine.
