The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has escalated sharply, with Russian forces intensifying drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Friday night. Ukraine’s air force announced that Russia launched as many as 164 drones targeting Kyiv in a single night, causing extensive damage to property. Military officials said the attacks destroyed or damaged more than 12 apartment buildings, warehouses, and other structures.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the drone assault, which began on Thursday, continued past midnight into Friday, with the strikes battering the city of Kyiv for roughly 15 hours straight.
The attack has disrupted civilian life and dealt a severe blow to Ukraine’s economy. Ukrainian officials said Russia has been deliberately targeting power grids with drone strikes in an effort to inflict maximum hardship on citizens as winter approaches. In a separate glide-bomb attack overnight, Russia severely damaged a power station in the Kherson region near the Black Sea, forcing the facility to shut down.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy has expressed concern that the country’s economy is being battered by the relentless Russian strikes, noting that GDP growth has declined sharply this year as a result of the sustained assault on infrastructure.