Ukraine said Monday it had countered an unprecedented Russian attack on the country’s east-central city of Dnipro overnight with missiles and explosive drones.
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According to the regional authorities, seven people were injured.
During this “night attack,” Russia fired “16 missiles of various types and 20 Shahed drones,” the Ukrainian army said in a statement posted on Facebook.
A total of four “Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles” and all 20 drones “were destroyed by anti-aircraft defenses,” she said.
However, the Ukrainian army did not provide any information on the consequences of the 12 rockets that penetrated its defenses.
Early Monday morning, she said the Russians had launched “a massive missile and drone attack” without giving the exact location, adding that “details will be announced once clarified”.
According to a Telegram message from Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov, “there has never been such a big bombardment (on the city) since the beginning of the war”.
Dnipro, a city of almost a million people before the Russian invasion, is 125 km from the current front line.
“People of Dnipro did not sleep and prayed for their relatives and friends,” said Mr. Filatov.
Serguï Lissak, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, in which Dnipro is located, for his part confirmed that during the night the Kiev troops “shot down 15 drones and 4 cruise missiles over the region”.
“Several buildings of a rescue unit were damaged,” he said. Previously specified: “Two fires have broken out, which have already been extinguished.” More than 10 trucks and cars were destroyed (and 25 cars and 2 buses were also damaged).
According to Mr Lissak, “seven people were injured. Women aged 52 and 70 are being hospitalized,” he said.
Since the beginning of May, Russia has intensified night bombings, especially on Kiev.
Ukraine ensures its anti-aircraft defenses, bolstered by Western military aid, shoot down most of the drones and missiles.