Ukraine: Moscow’s massive attack with missiles and drones. Kiev: “We will respond” –

Moscow has launched its first major strike on Ukraine since Kiev began its surprise offensive in the Kursk region. The Russian Defense Ministry said it targeted energy infrastructure “supporting the operation of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex” in nine regions, including Odessa and Kiev. “All targets were hit,” Moscow added. In the capital, children and families have returned to take refuge in subway stations. Five Ukrainian civilians were killed and dozens were injured. “Russia attacked using more than 100 missiles and about 100 Shahed drones,” Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Kiev leader has again called on the West for help. “Putin is a sick creature and this has been clear to everyone for a long time,” he said. “We cannot have restrictions on weapons when Russia uses its own weapons of all types, including Iranian Shahed drones and North Korean ballistic weapons,” he said. Kiev has however made it known that the response to the Russian attack “against peaceful people” is “being prepared” and will be carried out “with weapons of our own production”.

The reference is to the ‘Palianytsia’ missile drone. “It will be a game-changer because we will be able to strike where Russia does not expect it today,” explained Ukrainian Technology Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Without going into details, the project manager said that development began at the end of 2022 and that it is a “completely new” military program and not an improvement of old Soviet weapons. Fedorov added that the cost of each missile is less than $1 million and that the army is turning to the private sector to further reduce production costs as it “generates solutions incredibly quickly.” As for the offensive in the Russian region of Kursk, according to Moscow, Ukraine lost about 6,200 soldiers in an operation that, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated, “cannot remain without an adequate response.” Finally, Poland, at the same time that Russia was carrying out its attack, reported the entry of an aerial object into its territorial space. Most likely it was a drone, since Warsaw has ruled out the hypothesis of a ballistic missile from the beginning. NATO, however, remains on alert.