KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones towards Ukrainian targets, officers mentioned Friday, killing not less than 13 civilians in what an air power official mentioned was the largest aerial barrage of the 22-month war.
The Ukrainian air power intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones in a single day, Ukraine’s navy chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi mentioned.
Air Pressure commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel: “Essentially the most huge aerial assault” since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In line with the Ukrainian air power, the earlier largest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles towards Ukraine. This 12 months, the largest was 81 missiles on March 9, air power information present.
Combating alongside the entrance line is essentially slowed down by winter climate after Ukraine’s summer season counteroffensive didn’t make a major breakthrough alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) line of contact.
Ukrainian officers have urged the nation’s Western allies to supply it with extra air defenses to guard itself towards aerial assaults like Friday’s one. Their appeals have come as indicators of conflict fatigue pressure efforts to maintain assist in place.
Scores of individuals have been injured and an unknown quantity have been buried below rubble through the roughly 18-hour onslaught, Ukrainian officers mentioned. Among the many buildings reported to be broken throughout Ukraine have been a maternity hospital, house blocks and colleges.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the Kremlin’s forces used all kinds of weapons, together with ballistic and cruise missiles.
“In the present day, Russia used practically each kind of weapon in its arsenal,” Zelenskyy mentioned on social media platform X, previously Twitter.
Ukrainian Air Pressure spokesman Yurii Ihnat mentioned Russia “apparently launched every part they’ve,” aside from submarine-launched Kalibr missiles, within the assault.
The aerial assault that started Thursday and continued by the night time hit six cities, together with the capital, Kyiv, and different areas from east to west and north to south Ukraine, in line with authorities.
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Comply with AP’s protection of the conflict in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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