Kyiv—Drones attacked the Ukrainian capital early Monday morning, the Kyiv city military administration said, urging people to heed air alerts.
“The enemy is attacking the capital,” the administration posted on Telegram.
“At the moment, 9 enemy UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) have already been shot down in the airspace of Kyiv.”
It added that the Russian forces were using barrage ammunition from “Shaheds”, Iran-made weapons that have pummelled the capital in recent weeks.
The city’s civil administration announced an initial air alert at 1:56 am (2356 GMT) which lasted for just over three hours. A second siren at 5:24 am (0324 GMT) was called off within a half hour.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed on Monday that “explosions” had occurred in the capital.
“Several explosions were heard in the Solomianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts of the capital,” he said. “All services work on the ground. More details later.”
Ukraine has been subjected to frequent and deadly aerial attacks in the 10 months since Russia’s invasion in February.
After a series of key battlefield setbacks and lost territory this summer and autumn, Moscow pivoted strategies and stepped up its aerial campaign.
Russia’s defence ministry says its strikes are targeting Ukraine’s military and energy facilities, while also disrupting “the transfer of weapons and ammunition of foreign production”.
‘Barbaric’ bombings
But with temperatures dropping, the missile and drone attacks have plunged cities around the country into darkness, and severed water and heat supplies to millions of Ukrainians.
France and the European Union have said Russia’s assault on civilian infrastructure constitutes war crimes, with the bloc’s foreign policy chief calling the bombings “barbaric”.
After a major assault on multiple cities involving more than 70 missiles on Friday, the national electricity operator was forced to impose emergency rolling blackouts as it raced to repair the battered energy grid.
In the capital, people had bundled into metro stations seeking heat and shelter while officials scrambled to restore power.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said as of Sunday night, nine million people have had their energy restored.
“In most cities, the work of transport is being normalised,” he said in his nightly address.
Last week, Ukraine’s Western allies pledged an additional 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in emergency winter aid for Ukraine
Zelensky had said the high sum was needed to secure spare parts for repairs, high-capacity generators, extra gas, and increased electricity imports.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought proposals from his top military brass on how to proceed with the invasion. He asked for “short- and medium-term” plans in footage broadcast on state TV.
Ukrainian military leaders have warned that Moscow is gearing up for a major winter offensive, including an attempt to seize Kyiv.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will on Monday announce a major new artillery package for Ukraine during a meeting of Nordic, Baltic, and Dutch counterparts in Riga.
Sunak will arrive in Latvia on Monday for the meeting to discuss ongoing efforts to counter Russian aggression in the Nordic and Baltic region with fellow members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
Sunak will call on the leaders to maintain or exceed 2022 levels of support for Ukraine in 2023, a statement issued by the prime minister’s office said.
He will also announce that the UK will supply “hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition next year under a £250 million ($304 million) contract that will ensure a constant flow of critical artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023”, the statement said.
The UK had led the way in “providing defensive aid to Ukraine including sending Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and recently 125 anti-aircraft guns”, it said.
“We have also provided more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition since February, with the deliveries directly linked to successful operations to retake territory in Ukraine,” it added.
Sunak last month visited Kyiv to offer further support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces following the February invasion.
“The UK and our European allies have been in lockstep in our response to the invasion of Ukraine, and we remain steadfast in our ambition for peace in Europe once again,” Sunak said in the statement.
“But to achieve peace, we must deter aggression and our deployments across the region together are vital in ensuring we are able to respond to the gravest of threats,” he added.
The JEF meeting, which brings together the leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, will also be addressed by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
