Vladimir Putin Sends an Onslaught of 'Kamikaze' Drones to Kyiv Ahead of One of Ukraine's Biggest National Holidays
May 28 2023, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Early Sunday morning saw a record number of Russian 'kamikaze' drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on one of its biggest national holidays, RadarOnline.com has learned.
It's still unclear exactly how many drones were sent to the nation's capital, but according to the Ukrainian Air Force, 52 of at least 54 were shot down during the attack. The strike killed one 41-year-old man due to falling debris, making this the first deadly attack on Kyiv.
This is the 14th attempted attack on the capitol this month, and many foreign officials believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
The attacks came on the last Sunday of May, which is usually when the capital celebrates the anniversary of its official founding 1,541 years ago. 'Kyiv Day" is typically marked by street fairs, live concerts and special events across the city.
Despite dealing with the ongoing invasion of Russian troops at the nation's Eastern borders, officials were still planning on having the annual celebration this year, but on a much smaller scale.
"The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians," Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, said on Telegram.
Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said the attack was carried out in several waves, and air alerts lasted more than five hours.
"Today, the enemy decided to 'congratulate' the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)," Popko said in a message to his followers on Telegram.
The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia targeted military and critical infrastructure facilities in the central regions of the war-torn nation.
In recent weeks, the combat around Bakhmut, the site of the war's most prolonged battle, has begun to "ease."
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Russia's attack happened just hours following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser revealed the first steps of the country's anticipated counteroffensive against Putin's forces were about to begin.
Mykhailo Podolyak told outlets the preparations were "complicated" and that it was not "a matter of one day or a certain date or a certain hour."
He added that the "intensity" is increasing and that particular operations were already in their early stages, including targeting supply lines and depots.
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