2-1-2024 (KYIV) Explosions reverberated through Kyiv on Tuesday as Ukraine’s air force engaged in a fierce battle against a drone attack on the capital, according to officials. The incident prompted air alerts in various other cities across the country. About an hour after the military administration in the region reported the detection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones in Kyiv’s airspace, Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed explosions in the city.
Klitschko reported that UAV debris was burning in an open area in the Desnyansky district, with emergency services swiftly responding to the scene. Air alerts were active in Kyiv, Chernigiv, Cherkasy, Mykolayiv, and Kherson regions as of 3:30 am (0130 GMT). In Mykolayiv, the mayor stated that the air force successfully downed drones, causing debris to ignite and a subsequent fire.
Early Tuesday, Ukraine’s air force revealed that nine Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bombers had taken off from the far northern “Olenya” airfield in the Murmansk region. The air force indicated that the bombers were flying in a southeast direction.
This development follows Russia’s launch of strikes across Ukrainian cities on December 29, including Kyiv, resulting in the death of 39 people. Ukrainian forces retaliated with an unprecedented attack on the Russian city of Belgorod over the weekend, killing 25 people, including five children. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently announced that Russian forces would intensify strikes on military targets in Ukraine.
The drone attacks on Tuesday occurred on the heels of Russia’s New Year’s Eve assault on Ukrainian cities. Kyiv reported successfully thwarting a “record” number of drones launched by Russia.
