KYIV, Ukraine — Greater than 100 Ukrainian drones have been shot down over Russia Sunday, officers mentioned, sparking a wildfire and setting an condo block alight in one of many largest barrages seen over Russian skies since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia’s Ministry of Protection reported that it had shot down 125 drones in a single day throughout seven areas. The southwestern area of Volgograd got here beneath notably heavy hearth, with 67 Ukrainian drones reportedly downed by Russian air defenses.
Seventeen drones have been additionally seen over Russia’s Voronezh area, the place falling particles broken an condo block and a personal dwelling, mentioned native governor Aleksandr Gusev. Photos on social media confirmed flames rising from the home windows of the highest flooring of a high-rise constructing. No casualties have been reported.
An extra 18 drones have been reported over Russia’s Rostov area, the place falling particles sparked a wildfire, mentioned Gov. Vasily Golubev.
He mentioned that the hearth didn’t pose a menace to populated areas, however that emergency providers have been combating to extinguish the blaze, which had engulfed 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of forest.
In the meantime, 13 civilians have been injured in an in a single day barrage on the southern Ukrainian metropolis of Zaporizhzhia Sunday after Ukrainian army leaders warned that Moscow may very well be getting ready for a brand new army offensive within the nation’s south.
The town was focused by Russian information bombs in 10 separate assaults that broken a high-rise constructing and several other residential properties, regional governor Ivan Fedorov wrote on his official Telegram channel. Extra folks may nonetheless be trapped beneath the rubble, he mentioned.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy additionally mentioned that the Zaporizhzhia assault had broken the town’s transport hyperlinks. “At the moment, Russia struck Zaporizhzhia with aerial bombs. Atypical residential buildings have been broken and the doorway of 1 constructing was destroyed. The town’s infrastructure and railway have been additionally broken,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a put up on X, previously Twitter.
“In whole, 13 folks have been injured, and two have been rescued from beneath the rubble. I thank all of the emergency providers for his or her speedy response and offering crucial help. The rubble clearing remains to be ongoing.”
The assaults come after the Ukrainian army warned Saturday that Russian forces could also be getting ready for offensive operations within the wider Zaporizhzhia area. Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern army command, mentioned that Russia was amassing personnel on this course.
Ukraine’s air drive additionally reported that 22 Russian drones have been launched over the nation in a single day. It mentioned that 15 have been shot down in Ukraine’s Sumy, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, and Odesa areas, and that 5 extra have been destroyed utilizing digital defenses. The destiny of the remaining two drones was not specified. ___
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