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Just hours after Russia’s latest night attack, new missiles hit Ukraine.
It is the 16th drone raid in May.
– The enemy has changed tactics, said Serhiy Popko, the head of the military administration in Kiev.
Three drone raids have hit Ukraine during Sunday and Monday. It is the 16th attack so far in May.
On Kiev’s birthday on Sunday, more than 40 kamikaze drones were fired at the capital in what has been called the largest to date – all but two of a total of 54 missiles and drones were shot down by Ukrainian defense forces. A man in his 40s died.
On the night of Monday, the attacks continued. According to the Ukrainian Air Force shot over 60 drones and missiles down during the night.
Evidence of new strategy
On Monday, Kiev was subjected to a new drone attack. This time in daylight. The attack was special because it targeted civilians in the city center. In the past, the drone raids have attacked infrastructure or Ukrainian air defenses outside Kiev.
– The enemy has changed strategy. After protracted night raids, they attacked a peaceful city during the day when most people were outside or at work, said the leader of the military administration in Kiev Serhiy Popko.
According to Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko was fired eleven ballistic missiles towards the capital. All missiles were shot down and one person was sent to hospital after being injured by falling debris, reports the BBC.
“Morning after sleepless night tree in Kiev. Children run to shelters after the sound of explosions. It shouldn’t be like this,” President Zelensky’s wife Olena Zelenska wrote in one tweet which shows a clip of children running to shelters in Kiev.
At least two people dead in eastern Ukraine
Just before lunch, drones struck the village of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine. According to unconfirmed information died at least two people and eight were injured, Sky News reports. Among the dead was a 28-year-old man.
Ukraine has been planning a counter-offensive for months but it has been delayed as it awaits military equipment from the West and training of its soldiers.
Last week, Ukraine’s security chief Oleksiy Danilov said to the BBC that the Ukrainian counter-offensive is ready to be launched. He did not want to say when exactly, but that it could be “tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week”.