Russian forces launched another wave of drone attacks on Ukraine’s Kyiv region on Friday, striking apartment buildings, warehouses and civilian infrastructure for a second consecutive day, Ukrainian officials said.
The latest strikes followed a 15-hour air raid alert in Kyiv on Thursday that disrupted daily life and affected economic activity. Ukrainian officials said Russia is also targeting energy infrastructure as part of a campaign to pressure the country ahead of winter, reports AP.
Kyiv regional military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said Russian attacks damaged 14 warehouses, 16 private houses, three apartment buildings and 16 vehicles. One person was killed and two others were wounded in the attacks.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said a second drone struck one location after emergency workers arrived, a tactic known as a “double tap” attack aimed at first responders.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed its forces had hit a warehouse in the Kyiv region storing Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and rocket fuel. Ukrainian officials did not immediately confirm the claim, and the Associated Press could not independently verify it.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council, said Russia was using waves of fast-moving jet-powered drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defences.
“The goal is to exhaust air defenses and the population,” he said on social media.
Authorities warned that air quality had worsened in some areas and advised residents to keep windows closed and limit outdoor activity.
In southern Kherson region, officials warned residents of possible prolonged power and heating shortages this winter and urged thousands to consider moving to safer areas.
“Kherson may be without electricity and heat not for hours or days, but for a long time. And we need to prepare for this now,” said Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson regional military administration.
He said Russia had intensified attacks on the region’s infrastructure, including 170 glide bomb strikes since July 1. More than 1,700 attack drones have reportedly been launched over the past two months.
The continued attacks are also affecting Ukraine’s economy. The Ministry of Economy has lowered its 2026 growth forecast, with GDP growth expected to fall from 1.3% to 0.8% due to damage to energy and transport infrastructure and restrictions on exports.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 164 drones overnight. Meanwhile, Russia claimed its air defences destroyed 512 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, Crimea and the Black Sea.
Ukraine also reported striking an oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, causing a fire. Russian officials said drone attacks elsewhere killed one person and injured dozens, including passengers on a bus hit by debris.
The escalating drone exchanges underline the continuing intensity of the conflict as both sides expand attacks beyond traditional front lines.
