Ukraine woke up on high alert and imminent threat.
Amid the midnight Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow, the Russian military is preparing a powerful retaliatory strike on the country's critical and civilian infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky has made an emergency address to the nation, warning citizens to exercise “maximum caution” to the sirens in the early hours of Monday morning, as Russian forces amass a significant air resource.
Aircraft on alert and swarms of drones
According to data from the Ukrainian Air Force and independent monitoring channels, increased activity by Russian strategic aviation was recorded at 5:00 a.m., including the takeoff of Tu-95MS bombers. At the same time, several waves of "Shahed" suicide drones entered Ukrainian airspace from the south and east, triggering an alarm in a number of regions.
A grim assessment of the past 24 hours
The new morning threat comes after a series of fierce Russian attacks over the weekend, which left behind casualties, injuries and heavy destruction.
Bloodbath in Poltava Region
A Russian airstrike hit two local businesses. Local authorities confirmed the deaths of two people and injured 13 others, including six children.
Over 20 strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Region
The region was subjected to a combined attack with drones, artillery and guided aerial bombs (GABs). The Nikopol region was hardest hit, with one dead and nine injured, and dozens of residential buildings razed to the ground.
Tragedy in Kharkiv Region
In the border region, in addition to constant shelling, the civilian population is also suffering from mined zones. Near the village of Klinova-Novoselivka, a man died and two were injured after an unidentified explosive device exploded.
Tension on the Belarusian border
The situation is also becoming more complicated on the diplomatic front. Ukrainian intelligence reported that it had detected at least four Russian repeater stations located on the territory of Belarus in close proximity to the border. According to Kiev, these facilities are actively used by the Russian military to guide and coordinate drones against Ukrainian cities.
The official report from the Ukrainian Air Force with the exact number of Russian missiles and drones shot down during the morning wave is expected later today.