Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine, utilizing drones and shelling. The target of the attacks has been Kyiv, with the onslaught lasting for eight straight days. In addition, four firefighters in Kherson were injured as a result of the attacks. This information was confirmed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Aug. 3 (UPI) — Russian forces launched another series of air strikes on Kyiv, with Ukraine’s military claiming to have successfully taken down nearly a dozen Iranian-made drones during a three-hour barrage.
Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed this through a late-night Telegram message on Wednesday. Popko also assured that there were no reported injuries.
“Similar to the previous attacks, this incident was massive,” stated Popko, while authorities continue to assess the resulting damage on buildings and infrastructure in Kyiv and other affected areas.
In Kherson, four firefighters from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine were injured after St. Catherine’s Cathedral was struck by Russian bombs, as confirmed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The shelling at the city center also injured three passengers on a passing trolley bus that happened to be in proximity when the bomb hit the church.
Although the injured responders are currently in the hospital, they are expected to recover.
These attacks occurred a day after ten Shaheed drones targeted Ukraine’s capital, causing significant damage to ports, industrial sites in the Odessa region, and a major grain facility along the Danube River near the Romanian border.
On the same day, drones also struck several government buildings, resulting in falling debris in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts.
This recent wave of attacks has been ongoing since mid-July, when Russia violated a U.N.-brokered agreement that ensured the safe export of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea.
The war is now approaching its 18th month, and there is currently no end in sight.
Kira Rudik, a Ukrainian congresswoman, painted a bleak picture of the situation in Kyiv, describing it as desperate and unpredictable in a tweet. She stated, “Spending nights in bomb shelters has become a harsh reality for us. Instead of saying ‘good night,’ we say ‘stay safe.’ Last night was no exception: Russia launched a massive drone attack on Kyiv. We survived.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the recent attacks and accused Russia of attempting to cripple Ukraine’s grain exports while jeopardizing global food security.
Officials reported that a Russian bombing raid on the Chornomorsk port near Odessa destroyed 60,000 tons of grain destined for China.
The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, criticized Moscow for its continuous attacks, stating, “Russia shows no interest in peace, disregards civilian safety, and does not consider the impact on people worldwide who rely on food from Ukraine.”
The regional prosecutor’s office in Kherson has announced the initiation of a war crimes investigation into the recent strikes.
