Explosions Heard in Kyiv as Russian Jet-Powered Drone Heads Toward City Center

Late Thursday, explosions echoed across Kyiv as Ukraine's Air Force issued a warning that a Russian jet-powered drone was on a collision course for the city center. The Air Force reported the jet-powered UAV near Brovary, east of Kyiv, en route to the capital. An air raid alert was subsequently declared in Kyiv and several other regions due to the looming threat of Russian drones.

Kyiv City Military Administration chief Timur Tkachenko reported that air defenses were actively operating in the capital shortly before midnight. The renewed assault followed Russia's earlier launch of approximately 140 strike drones at Ukraine between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, with more than 100 of them being jet-powered, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The majority of the drones were targeted at Kyiv.

Ukrainian air defenses managed to shoot down or neutralize around 120 of the roughly 140 drones. However, over ten jet-powered UAVs remained in Ukrainian airspace as of 7 p.m. On earlier Thursday, four individuals were reportedly injured during Russian attacks on Kyiv, with two of the victims requiring hospitalization. Damage was observed in several districts of the capital.

Kyiv had already endured a series of air raid alerts throughout Thursday as Russia launched ballistic missile and drone attacks against the capital and its surrounding areas.