During a massive attack on the night of 8 September, Russia deliberately combined various weapons systems to inflict maximum damage on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Two people were killed and ten wounded in Kyiv. Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed 175 targets, and the president once again called for anti-ballistic defences to be strengthened.
Briefly about the main points
- Russia deployed several types of missiles and «Shahed» drones.
- Rescue workers in the capital rescued 13 people from damaged buildings.
- The strikes affected the Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv and Sumy regions, as well as other regions.
- Ballistic missiles remain the most challenging target for Ukraine’s air defence forces.
- Ukraine is discussing off-the-shelf interceptors and the development of FREYJA.
Russia has combined various weapons systems
According to Zelensky, Russian forces simultaneously deployed ballistic, cruise and anti-ship missiles, as well as «Shahed» drones. The President described this choice of weaponry as a deliberate strategy designed to inflict maximum damage on cities and civilian infrastructure.
A massive attack took place during the night of 8 September.
In Kyiv, rescue workers are operating in several districts
The State Emergency Service reported fires and destruction in at least five districts of the capital. Rescue workers have evacuated 13 people from the damaged buildings; emergency rescue operations are ongoing, so the figures regarding the impact may change.
Zelenskyy reported significant damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. In the Holosiivskyi district, the structure of a 26-storey non-residential building has been damaged. At another location, a fire started in a garage and spread to neighbouring non-residential premises and a business centre.
As a result of the attack in Kyiv, some public transport services have been disrupted or temporarily suspended, according to the city authorities.
The strikes were recorded in several regions
In the Kyiv region Russian troops targeted critical infrastructure, whilst in the Odesa region they attacked an ordinary market, the president said. Civilian facilities were damaged in Kharkiv; local authorities reported casualties following a drone attack earlier in the morning.
In the Sumy region, Russian troops attacked a diesel locomotive on the Kyiv–Sumy train at a railway station. According to Zelenskyy, no passengers were injured and their evacuation has begun. The Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions were also under attack.
Air defence forces have destroyed 175 targets, but ballistics remain a problem
The President reported that overnight Ukrainian forces have destroyed 175 aerial targets. He specifically highlighted the effectiveness of the air defence system against cruise missiles.
At the same time, due to their high speed and the nature of their flight path, ballistic missiles require specialised systems and appropriate interceptor missiles. Kyiv describes strengthening anti-ballistic defence as one of its main defence priorities, whilst President Zelenskyy has previously described ballistic missiles as the primary threat during the autumn and winter months.
Ukraine is discussing the supply of interceptors and FREYJA
Following the attack, Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is in talks with American and European partners regarding an increase in supplies of interceptor missiles. Further meetings with representatives of governments and defence companies are scheduled for 8 September to discuss off-the-shelf air defence systems and the development of the anti-ballistic programme FREYJA.
FREYJA is being developed as a joint Ukrainian-European project. Ukraine is working on the interceptor missile and the launch system, whilst partners can provide radars, sensors and other critical components. The programme is currently at the international cooperation stage and does not replace the urgent need for ammunition for existing air defence systems.
