Russian drones target Kyiv gas stations, aiming to rattle civilians

Russian drones struck gas stations in Kyiv on Friday for a second consecutive day, signaling Moscow's intensified air campaign to disrupt civilians and weaken morale. This follows a series of drone attacks on urban gas stations across eastern and southern Ukraine, aimed at crippling civilian life and leaving supermarket shelves bare.

Ukraine has been actively trying to boost its air defenses amid the five-year-long invasion. Canadian officials recently pledged increased support to help Ukraine improve its air defenses. Ukraine has also extended its drone campaign deep into Russia, targeting refineries and causing fuel shortages. In response, Russia has seen record low oil exports and has begun importing fuel from South Korea and India.

On Friday, two gas stations in Kyiv's Dniprovskyi and Obolonskyi districts were targeted within a span of 10 minutes, resulting in five injuries, including one rescuer. Ukraine issued warnings to residents to avoid lingering near gas stations and other exposed infrastructure during air raid alerts.