France condemned the attack “in the strongest terms”, adding that it had claimed the lives of at least two people and left several injured, in what it called a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
“These unacceptable acts constitute war crimes and cannot go unpunished,” the French foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
LOOMING COUNTER-OFFENSIVE
Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia had targeted on Sunday military and critical infrastructure facilities in central Ukraine, and the Kyiv region in particular – as has been increasingly the case with a Ukrainian counteroffensive looming.
Zelenskyy said one drone hit an unidentified infrastructure target in the Zhytomyr region, west of the capital.
Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat told Ukrainian television that a combination of fighter aircraft and mobile air defence systems were used to down the drones.
He did not say what systems were deployed. He has said previously that Ukraine uses the NASAMS air defence systems to destroy the Shahed drones.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s Air Force thanked the United States for sending more of the NASAM systems, among others, as well as the US-made Stinger portable systems also used for downing drones, that were part of the US April aid package.
The expensive Patriots systems, Ihnat said on Sunday, have made air defences more effective and have been used chiefly for more sophisticated weaponry, such as Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the information on what systems were used or how many drones were launched and destroyed.
The Sunday attacks came after Kyiv said that combat clashes eased around the besieged city of Bakhmut in southeastern Ukraine, the site of the war’s longest battle.
Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern military grouping said only one military clash had occurred in Bakhmut over the past 24 hours, though Russian forces maintained heavy artillery strikes.
Over the weekend, Kyiv indicated that its forces were ready to launch a long-promised counteroffensive to recapture territory taken by Russia in the 15 months of the war.
“Throughout its history, Kyiv has seen various meanness from invaders. It has survived them all, and it will survive the (Russians),” Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
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