Russian air attacks kill 12 in Kyiv region, on sixth day of strikes

Russian air attacks have killed 12 people and injured several more in Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Tuesday, authorities said, in the sixth consecutive day of strikes on the Ukrainian capital.

Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour in 2022, has escalated its air attacks against Ukraine in recent months, as its progress has slowed dramatically on the battlefield.

Swarms of drones have plagued Kyiv and nearby areas in the last five days, killing residents, damaging homes and warehouses.

Many of them are newer versions, powered by jet engines, making them harder to intercept.

The near round-the-clock attacks have upended daily routines for millions with hours-long air-raid alerts.

More explosions were heard in the capital on Tuesday morning, a Reuters witness said.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russian drones and ballistic missiles had targeted residential areas and railway infrastructure in the heavy overnight attacks.

He called on Ukraine’s allies to increase economic pressure on Russia, and to renew discussions about using Russia’s frozen assets overseas to provide funding for Ukraine’s war effort.

“It is time to signal (to) the Kremlin that imitating diplomacy does not work anymore,” Sybiha said in a post on X.

He urged allies to provide Ukraine with more air defences, as it runs critically low on the United States (US)-made Patriot interceptors capable of stopping Russia’s ballistic missiles.