Zelenskyy praises air defence after deadly Russian drone hit

Overnight drone attack in Kyiv was the largest of the invasion to date

Rescuers at a Kyiv building damaged during the Russian drone strike. Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his country's air defence forces on Sunday, after the capital Kyiv saw the largest drone attack since the start of the Russian invasion.

Two people were killed and three wounded in the overnight attack.

Russia has intensified aerial strikes on the capital this month, and warned the West against escalating the conflict after the US agreed to approve deliveries of F-16 fighter jets.

Ukraine said the latest attack in Kyiv was the largest of the invasion, with about 40 of more than 50 drones aimed at the capital.

"Most of the destruction was averted, and most of the lives that could have been taken by these Shaheds [drones] were saved," Mr Zelenskyy said in his daily address.

" I am grateful to each and every person who made it possible. Thank you, warriors."

This was the 14th drone attack on the Ukrainian capital by Russia this month.

"People are in shock. There's a lot of damage, the windows were broken, the roof was damaged," said Sergei Movchan, 50, a resident whose house was damaged by debris.

Kyiv had been relatively spared since the start of the year, but in May its residents have had to live with almost nightly air raid sirens and explosions.

The air raid alert lasted more than five hours overnight on Saturday as the attack was carried out in several waves.

"Russians are intimidating us. But I think it's the agony of their regime," Mr Movchan said.

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Authorities reported that two were killed and three wounded as debris of the downed drones fell in several districts.

Kyiv's Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said the assault was "massive" with drones "arriving from several directions at once"

The Kyiv military first said "more than 40 Russian drones were destroyed by air defence" systems in the "most important drone attack against the capital since the start of the invasion", in February 2022.

Mr Zelenskyy later revised the number to 36 drones brought down over the capital and its region.

"During this terrorist attack, the most powerful strike was directed against the Kyiv region," Mr Zelenskyy said during his evening address.

"This is how Russia celebrates the Day of our ancient Kyiv."

Sunday was to be celebrated as Kyiv's city day, usually marked by street concerts and performances.

"Kyiv, a city of free and brave people, has become a symbol of Ukraine's unbreakable spirit and the Kremlin's failed imperial ambitions," Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.

Ukraine said its air defence forces had shot down 58 out of 59 drones launched by Russia overnight, according to updated information.

Ukraine's air force had earlier said that a "record" of 54 drones had been launched.

Mr Zelenskyy, who also used the earlier number of 54 drones launched, reported some damage in the western Zhytomyr region.

Russia used Shahed drones from Iran, Ukrainian officials said, and presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak pledged new sanctions against Iran.

"Tehran has become a key ally of Moscow in this war, deliberately supplying it with weapons for attacks on civilian cities," Mr Podolyak said.

This week Mr Zelenskyy blasted Tehran's "support for evil" and appealed to the Iranian people.

Iran answered by saying his accusation was an attempt to gain the West's military and financial support.

Moment Russian warship is attacked by drones in Black Sea - video

After Kyiv has long asked for advanced warplanes, the US on Friday said it would allow Kyiv to acquire F-16 fighter jets, the most sophisticated weaponry yet supplied by the West.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Sunday said western nations were "playing with fire" by agreeing to supply Ukraine with F-16s.

Mr Lavrov called the move "an unacceptable escalation" of the conflict, in a TV interview posted on social media.

As the drone war rages, Russia has blamed Ukraine and its Western backers for increasing artillery and drone attacks on its territory, accusations Kyiv has mostly denied.

Most drones have hit Russian regions bordering Ukraine but they have sometimes reached hundreds of kilometres inside Russia, including a thwarted attack on the Kremlin.

The past week also saw an unprecedented two-day incursion from Ukraine claimed by two anti-Kremlin groups, with Russia using its air force and artillery to push back the fighters.

The reports of attacks come at a time when Kyiv says it is finalising plans for a counter-offensive to recover lost territory, including the Crimea Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014.