Ukraine Successfully Fends Off Intense Russian Air Attack on Kyiv

Early Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s air defenses successfully thwarted an intense Russian air attack on Kyiv, shooting down all 18 missiles aimed at the capital. This was the eighth time this month that Russian air raids had targeted the capital, and the attack was described as “exceptional in its density” by Serhii Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration.

The attack combined missiles launched from the air, sea and land in an apparent attempt to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. Loud explosions boomed over Kyiv as the nighttime attack occurred, and the British ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, tweeted that the barrage was “pretty intense.”

Ukraine has been in a conflict with Russia since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula. Since then, the two countries have been in a tense stand-off, with Russia supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government has accused Russia of escalating the conflict in recent weeks, with the number of ceasefire violations increasing. The Ukrainian military has reported that Russian forces have been shelling Ukrainian positions and launching air strikes on the capital.

The international community has condemned Russia’s actions and called for a de-escalation of the conflict. The United Nations has urged both sides to respect the ceasefire and to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.