On the 33rd consecutive night of aerial attacks, Russia fired missiles and drones at 11 regions of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force. The attacks included a drone barrage that set a new monthly record for the country. In Kyiv, multiple explosions and machine gun fire were reported as the capital's air defenses repelled a five-hour drone attack. Fortunately, there were no casualties in Kyiv, although a critical infrastructure object caught fire in the southern Mykolaiv region.
Russia has been increasingly using Shahed drones in its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. In September alone, Russia launched over 1,300 Shahed drones at Ukraine, marking the highest number of drone attacks in a single month since the conflict started. In response, Ukraine has developed a new generation of drones for battlefield use and long-range strikes deep inside Russia. Russian officials reported shooting down more than 100 Ukrainian drones over Russia on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin marked the second anniversary of the annexation of four Ukrainian territories by releasing a video. He accused the West of turning Ukraine into a military base aimed at Russia. The annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions in 2022, following a disputed referendum, was condemned by the West. Putin claimed that businesses in the occupied areas are being restored, and hospitals and schools are being rebuilt since the annexation. He defended Russia's military operation in Ukraine as a means to protect residents' well-being and secure a future for their children and grandchildren.
For more updates on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, visit AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine.
