Ukraine war: Kyiv bombarded in third wave of attacks in 24 hours

Kyiv endured a third attack overnight in less than 24 hours. On Tuesday night Ukrainian air defences destroyed 29 of 31 Iran-made Shahed drones launched at Kyiv by Russia.

According to the Institute for the Study of War Russian forces began a new air campaign in recent months to deter any potential Ukrainian counteroffensive. 

Zelenskyy: Counteroffensive is in sight

President Volodomyr Zelenskyy said Monday the timing of Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive has been set.

“The decisions have been made,” he said, without providing further details.

Drone attacks are not uncommon elsewhere in Russia

After the attack on Kyiv, drones hit several buildings in Moscow causing “minor” damage and no serious injuries, the mayor of the Russian capital said early on Tuesday.

Moscow is located around 500km away from Ukraine’s border and has rarely been targeted by drone attacks since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion.

But such attacks have become more common elsewhere in Russia.

Previously there had been reports of drones being shot down in the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia, which both border Ukraine.

In April a drone injured at least three people in an explosion after it was brought down in the town of Kireyevsk, about 400km from the Ukraine border, Russian state media said.

An oil refinery in the Krasnodar region of Russia, about 200km from the Crimean border was targeted by drones on 4 and 5 May, according to Russian media reports.

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