Russian Drone Attacks Kill Civilians Near Kyiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv
Overview of Recent Russian Drone Strikes in Ukraine
Fatal Attacks and Civilian Casualties
Sept 27 (Reuters) - Russian drones set ablaze a market outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday, killing two people, while three others died in strikes by Moscow's forces in different regions and Kyiv itself also came under attack, local officials said.
Ukrainian prosecutors said the drone attack hit a market in Sofiiska Borshchahivka on the western outskirts of Kyiv, killing 2 people and injuring about 10.
Pictures posted online showed installations and vehicles on fire, with debris strewn on the ground.
Injuries and Response in Kyiv
In the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nine people were injured, including a child. Six of the injured were being treated in hospital.
Russian forces have long staged intensive attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, mostly at night. In recent weeks, they have launched strikes almost continuously throughout the day.
Reactions from Ukrainian Leadership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy decried the latest attacks, saying the civilian targets made the acts unquestionably "terrorism".
"Russia has no military objective whatsoever in doing this," Zelenskiy wrote in a post on X. "It is purely an attempt to break people and inflict as much harm as possible on our society."
Strikes in Sumy and Kharkiv Regions
Sumy: Bombs Near Family Support Centre
In the northern city of Sumy, a frequent Russian target near the border, three glide bombs struck near a family support centre, killing two people, regional governor Oleh Hryhorov wrote on Telegram.
Russia has long said it intends to turn areas of the Sumy region into a buffer zone.
Kharkiv: Drone Attack on Civilian Vehicle
In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city in the northeast and another frequent target, a drone struck a car, killing the driver, prosecutors said.
Scale and Nature of Drone Attacks
Types and Frequency of Drones Used
Zelenskiy said Russia had deployed 277 attack drones of various types since Saturday, 155 of them of the jet-powered variety Moscow has recently used more readily as they fly higher and are difficult to intercept.
He said the targets in Kyiv had included a building used as a residence by the Saudi Arabian ambassador.
Infrastructure and Civilian Sites Targeted
Data Centres and Playground Strikes
DATA CENTRES AND A PLAYGROUND
Klitschko said on Telegram that a drone had struck a high-rise apartment building, triggering a fire in an eastern suburb and wounding one person. Emergency crews extinguished the blaze.
He later said a drone had hit another high-rise in a central district, with emergency services investigating possible casualties at the site.
Drones had earlier hit areas near a kindergarten and a playground in two districts, Klitschko said, and other areas in the city also suffered damage.
Impact on Communications Infrastructure
Ukraine's largest mobile service provider told the Interfax Ukraine news agency that Russian forces had hit its headquarters in continued strikes on Ukrainian data centres and communications infrastructure. There were no casualties.
Russian Military Statements
Russia's defence ministry issued statements saying its forces had struck two data centres in Kyiv, a logistics hub in Odesa, as well as two cargo vessels headed for Odesa.
Ongoing Conflict and Denials
Both sides in the more than 4-1/2-year-old war deny targeting civilians.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Mark Porter and Bill Berkrot)
