KYIV, Ukraine
Ukraine says it has repelled "one of the most massive" attacks launched by Russia since the start of the war.
Air defence systems shot down
89 Iranian-designed explosive drones and another missile overnight, the
Ukrainian air force said on Wednesday.
The capital Kyiv was the main
target of the attack. Buildings in the region were damaged by falling debris
but there were no reports of casualties.
The attack comes more than 29
months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Almost daily bombardments
have put the country's air defences under considerable strain.
Russia insists it is targeting
military and energy sites, but strikes on residential areas are frequent.
Early on Wednesday the air
force said it had "withstood and repelled a massive attack" by
Iranian-designed Shahed drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky later said on Telegram: "Ukrainians can fully protect their skies
from Russian strikes when they have sufficient supplies."
He added: "The same level
of defence is needed against Russian missiles and the occupier's combat
aircraft."
Mr Zelensky repeated calls for
allies to speed up deliveries of the air defence systems Ukraine relies on,
particularly US-made Patriots.
"We need sufficiently
courageous decisions from our partners - enough air defence systems, enough
range," he said.
Ukraine continues to strike
back. Its military said on Wednesday that it had hit a weapons depot in the
Russian region of Kursk.
The local governor said a
"facility" had been hit overnight, causing a fire, but did not
provide further detail.
Meanwhile, Moscow's
slow-moving advance into Ukrainian territory is grinding on.
Russian forces made small but
incremental gains in July, reportedly capturing eight villages in north-east,
eastern and southern Ukraine in July.
These were said to include
Pishchane Nizhne in the Karkhiv region, Vovche, Ivano-Daryivka and Pivdenne in
Donetsk, as well as Rozivka near Zaporizhzhia.
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