Officials from Ukraine claim that Russia has launched the largest drone attack against their city since the conflict began.

On Saturday, Russia escalated its aerial assault on Ukraine with an unprecedented drone attack on the capital city of Kyiv, as reported by Ukrainian officials. The Ukrainian Air Force revealed that around 75 Shahed drones, originating from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Kursk region in Russia, were launched towards Kyiv, marking the attack as the largest of its kind since the invasion began.

Ukraine’s defense forces successfully intercepted 71 of these Iranian-made drones across six regions, with the majority being neutralized in the Kyiv region. This defensive response involved anti-aircraft missile units, tactical aviation, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units. Additionally, a Kh-59 guided missile was destroyed in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Mykhailo Shamanov, representing the Kyiv city military administration, reported multiple waves of drones targeting the capital from various directions. The intensity of the attack was evident from the loud explosions and the buzzing sounds of drones, as described by a CNN producer in Kyiv. Residents were urgently advised to seek shelter due to the large number of enemy UAVs.

This incident marked the fourth drone attack on Kyiv within the month. Mayor Vitalii Klitschko confirmed that at least two individuals were injured in the city’s Solomianskyi district, where several locations, including a residential building, caught fire. The attack also caused damage to the second floor of a five-story building in the same district, and debris from downed drones landed on residential buildings in the Dniprovskyi and Holosiivskyi districts.

Furthermore, Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, reported that a drone downed in the Solomianskyi district led to a fire at a local kindergarten, highlighting the widespread impact of the attack on civilian infrastructure.

The recent drone assault on Kyiv resulted in significant disruptions to the city’s power infrastructure, as reported by Ukraine’s energy ministry. An overhead line was damaged in the attack, leading to a power outage that affected 77 residential buildings and 120 establishments in the city center. However, Ukrainian energy company DTEK was able to respond swiftly, announcing later on Saturday that electricity had been restored to all residents of Kyiv.

Last winter, Ukraine faced a series of deliberate missile and drone attacks by Russia, aimed at crippling the country’s energy infrastructure. This pattern of targeting critical energy facilities has been a recurring issue, with western Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi frequently in the crosshairs. The region has experienced repeated attacks, resulting in damage to its infrastructure, including the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant.

The seriousness of these attacks was underscored last month when “powerful explosions” near the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant were reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The shockwaves from these explosions were powerful enough to shatter windows and disrupt power to some off-site radiation monitoring stations. The IAEA, present at the plant, was informed that two drones were intercepted near the site, emphasizing the ongoing risks to nuclear safety and security in the midst of the military conflict.

In anticipation of potential energy challenges this winter, DTEK has been actively working over the past seven months to rebuild and reinforce the nation’s energy infrastructure. Efforts include restoring damaged facilities, acquiring backup equipment, and enhancing defenses around power plants. Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, stated earlier in the month that the company has implemented measures to safeguard energy facilities.

Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, suggests that Russia may find it more challenging to conduct similar attacks on the country’s energy grid in the future. Meanwhile, Ukrainian citizens and businesses are proactively preparing for the possibility of power grid failures. There has been a notable increase in demand for off-the-grid solutions, such as energy storage systems, while businesses are investing in generators and secondary batteries to ensure continuity in case of power disruptions.