Russian forces relentlessly battered Kyiv and cities in the region around the Ukrainian capital for a fifth straight day on Monday, leaving some supermarket shelves bare after repeated strikes on warehouses as Ukraine reels from attacks with jet-powered drones.
Russia has intensified its aerial attacks in recent months, more than four years after it launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
Almost constant air raid alerts in the Kyiv region in recent days have severely disrupted daily routines. Two major attacks in July killed almost 50 civilians and a strike on Saturday killed at least 38 people.
Meanwhile, an overnight strike on a printing press on the edge of the Ukrainian capital destroyed around 12 million text books ahead of the start of the new school year.
Classes were due to resume at Ukrainian schools on Tuesday, but it was unclear whether parents would send their children. Schools have air raid shelters, and classes can also be held online.
Earlier this month, a Russian strike on a warehouse in northeastern Kharkiv destroyed 8 million books, the publishing house said, slamming it as an attack on Ukrainian culture.
It is not the first time Russia has struck a major publishing centre, drawing accusations from Kyiv that Moscow was specifically targeting them.
“The enemy is trying to burn out our education and culture,” the publisher, Ranok, said.
But Ukraine has also tried to make Russian civilians feel the burden of war by hammering major online retailers and oil facilities.
The attacks have brought shortages for ordinary Russians, though its strikes have not been as deadly for civilians.
Ukraine builds technology to counter jet-powered drones
A pall of black smoke drifted over Kyiv on Monday morning. In Brovary and Boryspil, cities in the Kyiv region, the aerial attacks struck several warehouses and four people were wounded, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conceded on social media that Ukraine is struggling to counter fast-flying jet-propelled drones that Russia is increasingly deploying.
Between Thursday and Sunday, Russia fired almost 1,500 drones at Ukraine and around 800 of them were jet-powered, Zelenskyy said.
Combat aircraft are currently trying to stop the jet-powered versions while Ukraine looks to develop more effective technology.
“Four companies have developed the relevant interceptor drones, and one company has the most successful technology,” Zelenskyy said. He didn’t elaborate.
Kyiv official says Ukrainians won’t go hungry
Repeated Russian strikes on food distribution centres and retail hubs have disrupted Ukrainian logistics, leaving some supermarket shelves bare and fuelling public concern about shortages.
Those fears prompted Zelenskyy adviser Serhii Beskrestnov to say on social media on Monday that Ukraine will not go hungry.
He urged the public not to give in to rumours, disinformation or panic, saying producers and retailers are currently restructuring supply chains.
He added that European countries would be ready to fill any food supply shortfall, if necessary.
At the same time, Russia has kept up its attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, seeking to leave civilians cold and without running water in the approaching winter.
Russian forces launched what officials said was a massive overnight drone attack on Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region, which borders Russia, where an energy facility was damaged, according to Viacheslav Chaus, head of the regional military administration.
He did not provide details of the damage.
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday it is preparing “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Russia overnight shot down 239 Ukrainian drones over 14 Russian regions, occupied Crimea and the waters of the Black Sea, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Monday.
A Ukrainian missile attack on Sunday evening on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed three people, acting regional Governor Alexander Shuvayev said.
Additional sources • AP, AFP