Russia’s attack Thursday on Kyiv was among the deadliest of the years-long war not just because the Kremlin targeted a residential area – Moscow has added new jet-powered drones to its arsenal that are incredibly challenging to shoot down.
The fairly new feature for Russian forces was deployed in an attack that killed at least 30 people — and are too rapid for Ukraine’s mobile fire groups and can only be stopped with ground-to-air missiles or fighter jets, CNN reported.
The drones can zip at 310 miles per hour and were first spotted causing wreckage near the start of the year.
“The enemy is using them more and more frequently, and the percentage of jet-powered Shaheds in their arsenal is increasing, which depletes [our] resources,” said Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat, according to CNN.
The drone addition is among the myriad of tactical and technological options Moscow has at its disposal to “maximize civilian harm during strikes on Ukraine,” according to a US-based conflict monitor, CNN reported.
“Faster-moving drones that are harder for Ukraine to intercept will likely generate increased civilian harm, much as other strike package adaptations have in the past,” according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Ihnat also said Russia’s attack also stood out because its forces used 28 ballistic missiles out of the 77 missiles that were fired, calling it a “very, very high number,” according to CNN.
The high-tech drones, ballistic missiles and munitions rocked Kyiv throughout the night as nearly 130 buildings were damaged and residents fled underground for shelter.
About 90% of drones and missiles were intercepted during the attack, Ukraine reportedly said.
On top of the 30 deaths, another 91 people were injured, said the head of the capital’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko. It was the third deadliest attack on Ukraine’s capital since the war began, according to CNN.
He expected the number of dead to keep rising, as he noted, “Rescue crews will work without interruption until all the debris is cleared.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Ireland, but quickly rushed home and visited a nine-floor residential building that was targeted.
He slammed allies for not helping out more with air defenses.
“If our partners had delivered on their promises in a timely manner, I think we could have saved more homes and lives today,” the beleaguered leader said.
“All we ask of our partners is simply to do what we’ve agreed on. We’re not even asking for more.”
Russian Defense Ministry boasted about the “massive attack,” claiming it was retaliation for Ukraine drones strikes on the Vladimir Putin-led country.
With Post wires
