Russia Attacks Kyiv With Large Number Of Iranian Drones

Russia used 32 Iranian-made kamikaze drones to attack Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early on Sunday, in one of the biggest such air raids in recent months.

Blasts were ringing out across the Ukrainian capital and its region for almost two hours and drone debris falling on several of the city's central districts, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine's Land Forces said that the country's air defence systems destroyed 25 out of 32 Russia-launched Iran-made Shahed drones, most of which targeted Kyiv and the Kyiv region.

Reuters witnesses heard at least five blasts across Kyiv, and Ukrainian media footage showed a number of cars damaged.

"Drones came onto the capital in groups and from different directions," Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's city military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Iran has supplied hundreds of the killer drones to Russia since mid-2022, while denying any role in the war. Western allies have imposed sanctions on many individuals and entities involved in the supply of the weapon but have not increased overall sanctions on Iran. In a highly controversial move, the Biden administration in August released $6 billion of Iran’s frozen funds in South Korea in a hostage deal.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that one person was injured in the historic Podil neighborhood, and a fire broke out near one of the city's parks.

Debris from downed drones fell on the Darnytskyi, Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Podil districts, Klitschko and the city's military administration said.

In the Shevchenkivskyi district, drone debris sparked a fire in an apartment, which was quickly extinguished. There were no immediate reports of injuries, Popko said on the Telegram messaging app.

With reporting by Reuters