Russian forces intensify air assaults on Kyiv amid escalating winter offensive
Kyiv came under one of the heaviest missile and drone attacks in months as Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight assault on the Ukrainian capital early Saturday. The city’s air defense systems were activated across multiple districts while loud explosions were reported in residential areas. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that defensive operations were underway and urged residents to remain in shelters as air raid sirens echoed through the city. Ukraine’s air force declared a nationwide alert as both cruise and ballistic missiles targeted the capital and surrounding regions.
The attack followed a week of intensified bombardments that experts have described as part of a coordinated “Christmas offensive.” Beginning on December 23, Russia unleashed more than 650 kamikaze drones and over 35 missiles in a 24-hour campaign that struck 13 regions. The strikes killed at least three civilians, including a four-year-old child, and damaged power facilities and residential buildings. Air defense units successfully intercepted the majority of incoming threats, downing more than 580 drones and 34 missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the timing of the pre-Christmas attacks, calling them a deliberate attempt to disrupt moments of peace and unity. Energy provider DTEK reported extensive damage to thermal power plants, marking the ninth major assault on critical infrastructure this year. Emergency power outages were implemented nationwide as maintenance crews worked to restore damaged grids.
On December 25, Russian strikes hit a market in Kherson and a residential building in Chernihiv, leaving two people dead and ten injured. The following night saw another large-scale drone and missile operation involving nearly one hundred Iranian-made Shahed drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile. Ukrainian systems intercepted approximately three-quarters of the drones before they reached their targets.
Military analysts suggest that the renewed wave of attacks aims to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses and strain civilian resilience during the harsh winter months. With temperatures dropping and power systems under constant threat, the ongoing offensive underscores a calculated strategy to maximize pressure both on the battlefield and on the home front.
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