An “unprecedented” barrage of Russian missile launches against Kyiv and Odesa overnight killed one person and injured at least two others. Photo courtesy Operational Command South.
May 18 (UPI) — Targets in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the southern port of Odesa came under “unprecedented” attack overnight from ballistic and cruise missiles launched from strategic bombers, Black Sea warships and ground forces, killing one person and injuring at least two others. Officials said the air attacks, the ninth unleashed by Russia since the beginning of the month, continued a series that were “unprecedented in their power, intensity and variety,” but that Ukrainian air defenses were able to shoot down the missiles. Advertisement
“This time the attack was carried out by strategic bombers — Tu-95MS and Tu-160 — from the Caspian region, probably by cruise missiles of the X-101/555 type. After launching the rockets, the enemy deployed its reconnaissance UAVs over the capital. According to preliminary information, all enemy targets in the airspace of Kyiv were detected and destroyed,” said Kyiv City Military Administration head Serhiy Popko.
Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed that, together with Ukraine Defense Forces, it had destroyed 29 out of 30 missiles, 22 of which were launched from aircraft, six fired from the Black Sea and two from operational-tactical rocket complexes, as well as two Shahed attack drones.
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Falling debris from downed missiles fell on the Desnyansky and Darnytskyi districts of the city with the worst damage reported in Darnytskyi where a garage cooperative was damaged by fire with authorities still awaiting information about casualties.
In Odesa, Kalibur and Iskander-K missiles fired from ground bases and warships off the coast were destroyed by air defense forces over the Black Sea but two got through and a security guard was killed and two others were injured when a damaged industrial building collapsed after being hit by falling missiles that had been shot down, Operational Command South said in a Facebook post.
Thursday’s raids follow on from an ‘exceptional’ air raid on Kyiv early Tuesday, which authorities said was the most intensive since Russia resumed aerial attacks on the capital on May 6, injuring at least three people and causing extensive damage.
Ukraine says 29 of 30 missiles shot down as Russia unleashed ‘unprecedented’ barrage
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