Kyiv Attacked Overnight by 35 Kamikaze Drones, Capital Rocked by Explosions as Air Defenses Intercept

Thirty-five Russian-launched kamikaze drones were shot down in the skies over Kyiv overnight during an exceptionally loud few hours marked by multiple explosions and anti-aircraft fire in what the city's mayor described as "the most massive attack on Kyiv since the beginning of the war".

Although none hit their targets, at least five people were injured by falling debris in the Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts of the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. A number of cars were also damaged and a high-pressure gas pipe was also hit by debris, causing a fire which was later extinguished. 

Inside the apartment building in Kyiv damaged by the attack. PHOTO:  Zoya Shu

Klitschko added: "This is the most massive attack on our city since the beginning of the war. All the drones were shot down... Thanks to the air defense, no one was killed."

In Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded in the capital at around 23:30 and the sounds of Ukraine’s air defenses shooting down the drones rocked the capital for more than three hours, some loud enough to set off car alarms on the streets.

The all clear was given just after 3:00.

Elsewhere, Russia launched 16 missile strikes in the past day, in the Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, a food warehouse was set on fire. No casualities were reported so far.

Other Topics of Interest

EXPLAINED: What We Know About Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Fired on Ukraine

Putin said it had been deployed "in a non-nuclear hypersonic configuration" and said that the "test" had been successful and had hit its target.

This wave of drones is the fourth such attack against the capital in just eight days.

Serhii Popko, head of the city military administration, said in a post on Telegram: “The enemy is increasing the density of air attacks on Kyiv. Since the beginning of May, in the first eight days of the month, the Rashists have carried out four aerial attacks.

"During the latest air raid alert, which lasted more than 3.5 hours, the aggressors tried to launch strikes using their UAVs.

"According to preliminary information, these were Iranian-made Shahed loitering munitions that attacked the capital from different directions."

Russia has stepped up aerial attacks on Kyiv in the run-up to May 9 when Russia celebrates Victory Day to mark the defeat of Germany during World War 2.

But last week the capital also experienced a very different type of drone incident – Ukraine was forced to shoot down one of its own drones that had malfunctioned and flew out of control over the capital.