Russia, in its typical fashion of defiance, fired yet another ballistic missile at Kyiv on Sunday, marking the third such attack this month alone. The timing, like clockwork, saw missiles raining down on the Ukrainian capital exactly six days apart, as noted by Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration. And, just as predictably, the missiles met their demise before reaching their target, according to preliminary data from Ukrainian officials.
Popko, never one to joke, suggested that for the third time in a row, Russia probably dipped into North Korea’s missile stash to carry out these attacks. While Reuters couldn’t confirm the exact type of missiles used, it’s becoming a normalcy at this point, another day, another missile.
In a separate report, Ukraine’s air force chief, Mykola Oleshchuk, proudly declared that Ukrainian forces had a field day overnight, taking down eight Russian attack drones and five out of eight missiles. A total of 13 air targets were obliterated in Kyiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions, thanks to the relentless efforts of anti-aircraft missile troops, mobile firing groups, and electronic warfare units. It’s almost as if Russia keeps sending these toys just for Ukraine to knock them out of the sky.
And the grand total for Russian efforts this time? Three ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and two guided aircraft missiles. But, despite this array of weaponry, the score remains zero for Russia as none of the missiles hit their intended targets. Kyiv officials also confirmed that there were no casualties or injuries, much to the probable disappointment of the attackers.
However, it wasn’t a completely unscathed night. According to Kyiv region governor Ruslan Kravchenko, two private houses were flattened, and 16 others were left damaged by debris from the destroyed missiles.
As the dust settled, Kyiv and most of central and northeast Ukraine braced for more. Fresh air raid alerts blared across the region, warning of yet another round of missiles possibly heading their way. It seems Russia isn’t done playing its dangerous game, but for now, Ukraine is holding its own, swatting away each attack with a precision that’s becoming routine.
