8-hour Russian drone strike keeps Kyiv on edge as war in Ukraine approaches 1,000 days

Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Dozens of Russian drones struck the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in an overnight attack that lasted eight hours, authorities said Thursday, as Russia continues its relentless bombardment of Ukraine after nearly 1,000 days of war.

Russian forces opened fire on single drones and groups of drones that entered Ukrainian airspace from different directions and at different altitudes, officials said, in an apparent attempt to strain air defense systems and unnerve city residents.

Ukrainian air defenses “neutralized” three dozen drones, but falling debris caused damage to a hospital and residential and office buildings in the capital, local authorities said, including the 33rd floor of a residential building catching fire.

At least two people were reported injured.

Drone attacks on Kyiv have been occurring almost daily lately, with nightly explosions and the constant buzz of drones keeping the city on edge. Russia is using about 10 times more Iranian-made Shahed drones than last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week.

Ukrainian forces are struggling to match the might of the Russian army, which is much larger and better equipped. Western support is critical for Ukraine to survive a costly war of attrition. However, uncertainty about how long this assistance will last has increased with the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. He has repeatedly questioned US aid to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia is trying to suppress Ukraine’s desire for war and deprive Kyiv of Western support, prolonging the conflict.

Russian bombing campaigns mainly involve Shahed drones. According to the head of the state Center for Countering Disinformation, Andrei Kovalenko, they are suitable for terrorizing civilians.

Russia is seeking to preserve and stockpile its missiles, which are much more powerful than drones, Kovalenko said on Thursday. Russia has effectively used missiles in its campaign to cripple Ukraine’s power grid.

In addition, drone attacks are gradually weakening Ukraine’s air defenses, making it more vulnerable to future missile launches.

According to energy company Zhytomiroblenergo, power outages were reported in the Zhytomyr region, which borders Kiev to the west, following the Russian attack.

Another Russian drone attack in the southern city of Odessa injured one person, regional governor Oleg Kiper said, as drone debris damaged an 11-story apartment building.