Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine has been hit by intense Russian air attacks. A resident noted that it was the first time since Russia’s invasion that his house had shaken from the force of an airstrike. Loud explosions were heard.
It was the eighth time this month that Russian air raids had targeted the capital, a clear escalation after weeks of silence ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive.
The strikes also came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded a European tour to greet Ukraine’s key wartime allies, which prompted additional pledges of military aid.
Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat disclosed in a statement on Telegram that six “Kinzhal” aero-ballistic missiles were launched from MiG-31K aircraft, nine cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea and three land-based S-400 cruise missiles targeted Kyiv.
After the first attack, Russia also launched Iranian-made Shahed attack drones and conducted aerial reconnaissance, Ihnat said.
The Head of the Kyiv military administration, Serhii Popko opined that Russia’s latest attack on Kyiv was “exceptional in its density; the maximum number of attacking missiles in the shortest period of time.”
“According to preliminary information, the vast majority of enemy targets in the airspace of Kyiv were detected and destroyed,” he added.
The head of Ukraine’s armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhny, said Russia attacked Kyiv from the north, south and east and that 18 air, sea and land-based missiles had been used.
Ukraine said all 18 missiles were shot down and footage showed air defences destroying targets over the city.
Sophisticated air defense systems provided by Ukraine’s Western allies, including American-made Patriot missiles, have helped spare Kyiv from the kind of destruction witnessed elsewhere in the country as Russian forces press on with their tactic of long-range bombardment.
Military experts claim that the strong air defenses have deterred Russian aircraft from going deep into Ukraine and helped shape the course of the war.
“Another Unbelievable Success”
In a tweet, Ukrainian Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov hailed the display of defensive prowess, calling it “another unbelievable success.”
The Russian bombardment came as European leaders were due to attend a rare summit of the 46-nation Council of Europe, the continent’s main human rights body.
The two-day meeting in Iceland seeks to set up a way of documenting the damage occasioned by Russian forces in Ukraine so that compensation claims can be lodged against Moscow.
Ukraine’s Presidential office disclosed that at least seven civilians have been killed and 14 others wounded in Russian shelling of Ukrainian regions from Monday, May 15, 2023 through to Tuesday, May 16, 2023 morning.
Meanwhile, a Chinese envoy is preparing to visit Ukraine and Russia in coming days as Beijing presses the peace plan it released in February.
Li Hui, a former Ambassador to Moscow, also will visit Poland, France and Germany, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government claims that it is neutral and wants to play a role as mediator in the war. However, it has given Moscow political support and a breakthrough appeared unlikely more than a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
