What's happened
Kyiv experienced multiple explosions overnight as air defenses engaged in a five-hour battle against drone attacks. While no casualties were reported in the capital, a critical infrastructure fire occurred in Mykolaiv. This escalation follows a record number of drone strikes in September, with Russia increasingly relying on Shahed drones.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Kyiv's mayor reported numerous blasts as air defenses engaged enemy UAVs, emphasizing the urgency for residents to take cover. Meanwhile, President Zelensky expressed skepticism about Putin's willingness to use nuclear weapons, suggesting that fear for his life may deter such actions. The Guardian reported on a deadly attack in Sumy, where seven were killed, underscoring the ongoing threat to civilian life from drone and missile strikes. This aligns with the broader narrative of escalating violence and the strategic shift towards drone warfare, as noted in multiple reports.
How we got here
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, drone warfare has intensified. Russia has shifted to using more cost-effective Shahed drones, launching over 1,300 in September alone. Ukraine has also developed advanced drones for both defense and long-range strikes.
More on these topics
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.