Russian drones strike Kyiv in overnight attack

Russia attacked Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight in a series of strikes using Iranian-made drones that hit energy infrastructure and other targets, according to Ukrainian officials.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that several explosions rang out in the Solomianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts of the city, suggesting there were no known fatalities but the explosions left 3 percent of consumers without heating.

“As a result of the attack on the capital, critical infrastructure facilities were damaged,” he wrote on Monday. “Energy and heating engineers are working to quickly stabilize the situation with energy and heat supply.”

The city advised residents to go to shelters as air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, which expired later on Monday.

The head of Kyiv’s city military administration, Serhiy Popko, said 23 drones were launched by Russia during the air alert, and the Ukrainian military destroyed 18 of them.

“There were no casualties,” Popko wrote on Telegram. “However, debris damaged the roadway in the Solomianskyi district, as well as the windows of a high-rise building in the Shevchenkivskyi district. Unfortunately, there is a hit in the infrastructure object. Emergency services are eliminating the consequences.”

Popko noted the drones were made in Iran. Ukraine and its Western allies have largely condemned shipments of Iranian drones to Russia to aid in its war effort, although Tehran initially denied doing so.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said 58 firefighters responded to the explosions, adding they were first reported just after 5 a.m. local time and extinguished within three hours.

Russia has increasingly attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since October, suspending heat and water at times for residents as cold temperatures set in with the arrival of winter.

Ukrainian officials reported a large wave of strikes against power facilities on Friday with more than 70 missiles apparently launched from Russia, one of the largest attacks in the war.

The U.S. has prepared to send the Patriot system to Ukraine, the most advanced surface-to-air missile defense system NATO has, which could assist Ukraine in shooting down Russian missiles.

Ukraine has already received air defense systems from NATO countries but has repeatedly called for the U.S. and others to send more advanced systems.