Reuters
One person killed in Russian attack as Ukrainian capital prepares to celebrate anniversary of its founding
Russia unleashed multiple waves of air strikes on Kyiv overnight in what officials said appeared to be the largest drone attack on the city since the start of the war, as Ukraine’s capital prepared to celebrate the anniversary of its founding on Sunday.
Officials said air defence systems downed at least 40 drones moving towards Kyiv. At least one person was killed and two injured in the strikes, officials said.
The predawn attacks came on the last Sunday of May when the capital celebrates Kyiv Day, the anniversary of its official founding 1,541 years ago.
The day is typically marked by street fairs, live concerts and special museum exhibitions – plans for which have been made this year too, but on a smaller scale.
“The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians,” Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, said on his Telegram channel.
Preliminary information indicated the air raid was the largest drone attack on Kyiv since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Serhiy Popko, the head of Ukraine’s military administration said.
He said Russia used the Iranian-made Shahed drones in the attack.
“Today, the enemy decided to ‘congratulate’ the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles],” Mr Popko said on the Telegram.
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