in kyiv, a university damaged by Russian drones reopens its doors

Ukraine is increasingly targeted by Russian drones. According to the authorities, Moscow is launching ten times more drones against the country than last year at the same time. The objective is to exhaust and saturate the anti-aircraft defenses. In kyiv, the Institute of Journalism and International Relations at Taras Shevchenko University reopens its doors on Monday, November 11. Buildings, including a student residence, were damaged in a drone strike on Thursday 7 November.

It was 6 a.m. when the Shahed drone, shot down by Ukrainian air defense, exploded just before reaching the ground. Nearly 450 students were sleeping in their residence at the time. “The window opened because of the blast. It sounded like red lightning, it was scary, I've never experienced that. I gathered my things and went down to the shelter. In the corridor and the stairs, all the windows were blown out, it was terrifying. Then I tried to calm down, drinking some herbal tea.describes Irina, 17 years old, from Lviv.

All the windows on the facades of the residence and the university were blown out. To repair them, the broken windows are replaced with wooden panels. In the icy corridors of the institute, Tetiana, who has worked there for 52 years, explains that she was in shock when she discovered her office.

“I felt like I was in a haunted castle. It was windy. It made the curtains flap.”

Tetiana, de l'université Taras Shevchenko

at franceinfo

“But thank you God, our guardian angels protected us”,she continues. No one was injured in the explosion, but in kyiv, these attacks are becoming more and more frequent.

“These Shahed attacks take place every night, underlines Viacheslav Riabichev, deputy director of the journalism institute. The Russians have changed their tactics. Before, drones flew in groups, it was easier to shoot them down. Today, when they reach kyiv, they scatter and they have to be driven out one by one. There were deaths last week because the air defense was not ready for this new tactic.”.

During the weekend of 9 and 10 November, the number of drones launched by Russia in Ukraine reached records, 145 for example during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Around sixty were intercepted.