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Russia launches ‘hellish' aerial attack on eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad
Russia launches ‘hellish' aerial attack on eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad

The Guardian

time19-07-2025

  • Politics
  • The Guardian

Russia launches ‘hellish' aerial attack on eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad

Russia launched its biggest ever attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad early on Saturday, as part of a large wave of strikes across the country involving hundreds of kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles. The six-hour bombardment was the worst in the city's history. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Sergey Lysak, said a factory was damaged, a fire station destroyed and a five-storey residential building hit. 'A hellish night and morning for Pavlohrad. The most intense attack on the city. Explosion after explosion. Russian terrorists targeted it with missiles and drones,' Lysak said. Drones could be heard flying over Pavlohrad in the early hours of Saturday. There were cacophonous booms and orange explosions lighting up the night sky. The streets echoed with machine-gun fire as anti-aircraft units tried to shoot them down. In the morning, thick black smoke hung above the city. There were several fires. One exhausted resident, Oleh, said it was the worst night he had known. 'Nobody slept. We were all in shelters. There was a thunderstorm as well. We had explosions and rain together,' he said. The attack came soon after Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, flew back to Washington after a six-day visit to Kyiv. This week the White House announced a large-scale arms package to Ukraine, including additional Patriot anti-aircraft systems, to be paid for by European allies. The Kremlin refrained from carrying out a large-scale bombardment while Kellogg was in the country. Social media was awash with memes depicting Kellogg as a cat protecting the capital, since Keith sounds similar to 'kit', or cat in Ukrainian. On Friday, Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev promised Moscow would escalate its aerial attacks in response to the EU's latest sanctions package, which was agreed after the pro-Kremlin government in Slovakia dropped its objections. The city of Pavlohrad is a strategic hub for the Dnipropetrovsk oblast. Russian troops are close to capturing territory in the region – which borders Donetsk province – for the first time since Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion. In recent days they have captured several neighbouring villages. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Early on Saturday, Russian forces also targeted the Black Sea port of Odesa, setting fire to a nine-storey apartment building, the city's mayor said. Five people were rescued from the top floor, and one woman subsequently died. Odesa's mayor, Hennady Trukhanov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said at least 20 drones had converged on the city, a frequent target of Russian strikes. 'Civilian structure has been damaged as a result of the attack,' Trukhanov wrote. 'A high-rise apartment block is on fire. Rescuers are taking people out from the flames.' Ukraine's new prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, said Moscow had launched another 'brutal attack' on Odesa and other Ukrainian cities. 'One person killed, several more wounded, families destroyed. This is the cost of hesitation. Without bold response, the strikes will come again,' she said.

Russia conducts heavy missile and drone strike on Ukrainian military airfield
Russia conducts heavy missile and drone strike on Ukrainian military airfield

Russia Today

time21-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Russia Today

Russia conducts heavy missile and drone strike on Ukrainian military airfield

The Russian military struck a military airfield and energy infrastructure in Ukraine in an overnight attack involving missiles and kamikaze drones, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has reported. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said that the attack, which was carried out with high-precision air-, land-, and sea-based weapons, as well as explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles, targeted the infrastructure of a military airfield and an energy facility that supplied Ukrainian forces in Donbass with fuel. 'The goal of the strike has been accomplished. All designated targets have been hit,' Russian military officials reported, without disclosing the location of the targets. In a separate statement on Saturday, the ministry claimed that Russian warplanes, drones, missiles, and artillery had destroyed several UAV production workshops, as well as ammunition depots in Ukraine. Ukraine, meanwhile, reported a massive Russian strike on energy infrastructure in the city of Kremenchuk in Poltava Region. The Ukrainian military estimated that Russia deployed nearly 300 kamikaze drones, and eight missiles in its overnight attack. In recent weeks, Russia has launched a series of strikes, targeting Ukrainian military-related facilities, after Kiev significantly ramped up its own cross-border drone strikes. Moscow has described the escalation as Kiev's attempt to derail the ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace talks. On Tuesday, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that a combined strike, similar in style to the one reported on Saturday, hit military-industrial facilities in Kiev Region, as well as in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Zaporozhye Region.

Indian Army shows off locally manufactured drones (VIDEO)
Indian Army shows off locally manufactured drones (VIDEO)

Russia Today

time28-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Russia Today

Indian Army shows off locally manufactured drones (VIDEO)

India's chief of army staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, witnessed demonstrations of homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), counter-drone technologies, and loitering munitions (also known as kamikaze drones) on Tuesday. The demonstrations took place at the Babina Field Firing Ranges in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, military officials said. 'These capabilities will significantly enhance operational efficiency, force protection and precision engagement across varied terrains,' the Indian Army said in a post on X. #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS witnessed cutting-edge demonstrations of indigenous UAS, Counter-UAS and Loitering Munitions on 27 May 2025 at Babina Field Firing capabilities will significantly enhance operational efficiency, force protection and precision… The role of kamikaze drones was hailed during the Indian Army's recent Operation Sindoor. According to official reports, the weapons allowed precise targeting of Pakistani military infrastructure. New Delhi said it was responding to a terrorist attack in India's Jammu and Kashmir federal territory in late April which killed 26 tourists. Islamabad has denied any involvement. The two states have been involved in a dispute over the territory for decades. The recent escalation unfolded on May 7; three days later, after a short but intense battle, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire. During the conflict, New Delhi said that on the night of May 8-9, Islamabad launched around 300 drone attacks across 36 locations in India. Since then, India has taken a number of measures to bolster its defense capabilities. On Tuesday, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh approved the 'execution model' for developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) with an investment of $175 million. AMCA is the South Asian country's ambitious project to develop a multi-role combat aircraft with stealth capabilities for the Air Force and Navy.

China to launch world's first drone ‘mother ship' (VIDEO)
China to launch world's first drone ‘mother ship' (VIDEO)

Russia Today

time19-05-2025

  • Science
  • Russia Today

China to launch world's first drone ‘mother ship' (VIDEO)

China is preparing to launch what it says is the world's first 'drone carrier' aircraft, capable of releasing swarms of AI-guided kamikaze drones during high-altitude missions. The Jiu Tian, or 'High Sky' UAV, is scheduled to complete its first test mission by the end of June, according to the state broadcaster CCTV. The aircraft is said to have a maximum takeoff weight of 16 tonnes and a wingspan of 25 meters. It can reportedly cruise at altitudes up to 15,000 meters (50,000 feet) – higher than most common medium-range air defense systems – and has a range of approximately 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles). The jet-powered Jiu Tian is reportedly capable of carrying up to 6 tonnes of ammunition with the ability to release up to 100 units of loitering munitions or small drones, including kamikaze UAVs, from two launch bays located on either side of the fuselage. After the aircraft completes a series of test missions, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) plans to deploy it as a 'drone mother ship' UAV, which will make it possible to extend the operational radius of attack drones and boost their swarming capabilities. It will also be possible to use it in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assignments, as well as electronic warfare. China's first aerial mothership, Jiutian SS-UAV, is scheduled for its maiden flight in June. It can cruise at 15,000m high carrying over 100 small drones or 1,000 kg of missiles, with a range of 7,000km. Don't worry, China's military is peace-oriented from the start. We grow… Outside of military applications, the drone carrier could be employed for emergency logistics, border patrol, search and rescue missions, and natural disaster response. The plane, which was first unveiled at China's Zhuhai air show in November, has been designed by the state-owned aerospace giant Aviation Industry Corporation of China and built by Xian Chida Aircraft Parts Manufacturing. As noted by the Economic Times, the Jiu Tian largely mirrors the capabilities of Western UAV systems like the MQ-9 Reaper and the RQ-4 Global Hawk, while adding swarm-launch functionality, which has yet to be introduced in the US arsenal.

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