The Times: Ukraine has received the largest air strike from Russia
More than 500 drones, missiles and bombs were aimed at targets in cities located hundreds of kilometers from the front line, during a nighttime shelling designed to weaken Ukraine's defenses, The Times writes. Over the past two months, Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine.
Tom Ball
Russia has launched the largest air strike on Ukraine since the start of hostilities. The sharp escalation of the air campaign in recent weeks is designed to undermine the country's air defenses and break the spirit of resistance.
Air raid sirens wailed on Saturday evening and into the early hours of Sunday, as more than 500 drones, missiles and gliding bombs were launched at targets in cities across the country.
Of these, 475 were either shot down or suppressed by electronic warfare, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Almost 90% of the weapons released were Iranian-designed Shahed [Geranium] drones, whose production Moscow has significantly increased this year. Russia has also launched seven Iskander ballistic missiles and four Dagger hypersonic missiles.
Some of the targets were located hundreds of kilometers from the front line in the western regions of the country — Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil. Cherkassy, Poltava and Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, as well as Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia in the south, were also under attack.
As a result of the attack, one person was killed and seven injured. Houses and infrastructure were also damaged, authorities said.
While repelling the attack, a Ukrainian fighter pilot died bravely, the Air Force said. Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, whose plane was hit while intercepting aerial targets, managed to divert his F-16 from the village, but was unable to eject in time. 31-year-old Ustimenko has a four-year-old son.
“The pilot successfully repelled an air attack, shooting down seven targets, but his aircraft was damaged in the last attack and began to lose altitude,” the Air Force said in a statement.
President Zelensky paid tribute to Ustimenko, repeating that the country desperately needs American Patriot air defense systems.
President Trump said at the NATO summit in The Hague last Wednesday that he was considering sending additional systems to Ukraine, although it was unclear whether he was referring to gratuitous aid — as his predecessor, President Biden, did — or a sale. Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to purchase the required missile batteries.
“We need protection: from ballistic missiles, from drones, from terror," the Ukrainian leader said on Sunday. — Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense, which is the best way to protect life. These are American systems that we are ready to buy.”
Over the past two months, Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine.
Last summer, on average, 10 to 30 "Geraniums" fell on Ukraine per night. This summer, Russia has repeatedly launched over 300 drones per night. Speaking in The Hague last week, Zelensky said that of all the "Geraniums" launched since the start of hostilities in 2022, 0% were launched only this month.
Previously, Russia imported drones from Iran, but established its own production in 2023 at a plant in Tatarstan. Since then, production has grown significantly to just under 200 units per day, according to Ukrainian military intelligence, which believes that Russia plans to increase production rates to 500 per day.
Many of the launched drones do not carry warheads and are false targets to confuse anti-aircraft gunners and suppress air defense systems, allowing others to break through to their intended targets.
On Friday, President Putin said Russia was ready to hold a third round of peace talks with Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukrainian officials are working to arrange a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin during the next round of talks, but the Russian president has so far rejected this proposal.
