LIVE – Ukraine: the Ukrainian army “repels one of the most powerful Russian offensives” since the start of the conflict

kyiv was the target of a Russian drone attack overnight from Friday to Saturday, while new explosions were heard on Saturday afternoon in the Ukrainian capital and other regions were affected. “Unfortunately, the Russian drone attack caused damage and casualties in several districts of kyiv”declared President Volodymyr Zelensky.“The constant terrorist attacks on Ukrainian cities prove that the pressure on Russia and its accomplices is not enough”he added.

AFP journalists heard new explosions in kyiv on Saturday afternoon, after an air raid alert was issued.

71 drones launched

In the morning, the Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down 39 of 71 drones launched from Russia overnight. The drones targeted the region surrounding the capital, the border sector of Sumy (north-east of the country) as well as the central regions of Kirovograd and Poltava. 21 drones were lost and five were returned to Russia, the air force said, adding that the drone attack continued. She said debris from downed drones had damaged houses and buildings in four regions, including kyiv, Sumy and the area of ​​the port city of Odessa (southwest).

According to the kyiv military administration, debris from drones shot down by air defenses fell in six districts of the capital, damaging buildings and cars and starting several fires in buildings which were extinguished. A police officer was injured, according to the administration. In the kyiv region, outside the capital, an 82-year-old woman was injured in the head by shrapnel.

Minute by minute

The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Oleksandr Syrsky, indicated on Saturday that his troops on the ground were in the process of “repelling one of the most powerful Russian offensives since the start of the large-scale invasion.”