Russia unleashes one of the war's most expansive air assaults against Kyiv
In a grim turn of events, Russia conducted one of its biggest air attacks on Kyiv in over three years, targeting a maternity ward in Odesa and other cities, causing widespread destruction. The attacks, which followed Russia's largest drone assault of the war, left at least three people dead and several injured.
The Russian strikes hit the heart of Ukrainian identity, damaging the famous Saint Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage site. Kateryna Zaitseva, a laboratory technician from Kyiv, shared her harrowing experience of a direct drone hit on her apartment, which left her and her son shaken but unhurt.
Iryna Britkaru, a new mother from Odesa, described the terrifying ordeal of giving birth amidst bombardments as projectiles hit the maternity ward. The escalating violence has brought immense hardship and despair to countless civilians, forcing them to live under constant threat.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the attacks, stating they drown out international efforts to compel Russia into peace. Russia, on the other hand, claimed responsibility for the air strikes on military targets in Kyiv.
Recent developments indicate a significant escalation in Russian air attacks against Ukrainian cities. On the night of May 31 to June 1, Russia conducted its largest combined drone and missile strike of the war, deploying over 400 drones against Ukraine in a single night. The attacks have led to increased civilian casualties, damage to homes, hospitals, and essential utilities, and a broader humanitarian crisis.
The ongoing strikes also threaten historic sites, including UNESCO sites in Odesa, and have a severe psychological impact on the civilian population. The escalating violence has prompted innovative counter-strikes from Ukraine, including a large-scale simultaneous strike on multiple Russian air bases. However, the humanitarian and cultural toll continues to mount, with no end to the conflict in sight.
The Russian air attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the targeting of a maternity ward in Odesa, are not just acts of war but also political moves that severely impact the general news landscape. The ongoing violence, marked by Russia's largest combined drone and missile strike, threatens not only civilians and their wellbeing but also historic sites such as the UNESCO world heritage site, the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
