It was one of longer and more devastating offensives since the beginning of the invasion. Kiev woke up to explosions yesterday, with drones buzzing in the skies and the roar of air defenses trying to repel them. The attack is lasted over twelve hours, with 595 drones and 48 missiles launched from Moscow According to the Ukrainian military, at least four people were killed and 67 injured across the country. Among the victims was a 12-year-old girl crushed by the rubble of an apartment building in the capital.
Rescuers worked among gutted buildings and cars crushed by debris, while residents sought shelter in subway stations, following the news on their cell phones. A newly built residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Kiev was nearly leveled.
For Kiev the attack was directed mainly against the capital and hit clinics, factories and civilian homes, including a cardiology center. For Moscow, however, it was a “massive” operation with long-range weapons from the air and sea, aimed at hitting military infrastructure and airports. The Kremlin's line remains that of deny any deliberate attack against civilians, although the destroyed residential buildings have become the daily symbol of war.
The offensive has shown, once again, how the Ukrainian air barrier is fragile. Kiev claims to have 568 drones and 43 missiles shot down, but admits that the defenses are exhausted. Zelensky announced the arrival of a Patriot system from Israel, with two more expected this fall, and continues to ask Western partners for more assistance to protect the skies. The problem is that advanced systems are scarce and in high demand, even from other European countries, increasingly concerned about Moscow's moves.
Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk, the warm fronts
The attack was not limited to the capital. In Zaporizhzhia, at least 16 injured following bombings that damaged schools and apartment buildings. In DonetskRussian artillery struck eight Ukrainian-controlled towns, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. Tensions remain high at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant: It has been experiencing a blackout for days, relying solely on emergency diesel generators. Kiev accuses Moscow of wanting to connect it to its own power grid, calling the move "reckless" and dangerous.
Europe is locked down, but remains divided
The long wave during the night has triggered alarms well beyond the Ukrainian borders. In Poland, airspace was closed for hours In the southeast, fighters were scrambled on preemptive missions. In Denmark, after yet another series of sightings of drones over military sites, the government has banned all civilian UAV flights Coinciding with the EU and NATO summits in early October, Berlin responded by sending the frigate Hamburg to Copenhagen as part of NATO's Baltic Sentry mission.
But if NATO strengthens the shield, theThe European Union remains divided. Viktor Orban accuses Brussels of having turned into a "war project" against Moscow, while the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejects energy sanctions policy, “cutting down Russian fossil fuels is an ideological choice that harms the entire EU.”
In Italy, meanwhile, they have Zelensky's words have sparked discussion, according to which "Italy could be the next target". to allay fears he was the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who reassured by stating that "there is nothing to worry about, our air defense is vigilant and efficient, Italians can rest assured." Supporting Kiev, the Foreign Minister added, "does not mean being anti-Russian," and reiterated that "Italian weapons will never be used to attack Russia."
Diplomacy on hold, Zelensky to the West: "Time's up."
On the political front, Moscow is trying to relaunch the dialogue card. The Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke of a new meeting with Washington in the fall, while the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov He reiterated that "the invitation to Trump to come to Moscow remains valid." From the White House, however, mixed signals are coming: the American president has alternated pressure on Kiev with declarations of support, recently calling Russia a "paper tiger."
Zelensky, instead, raises the tone. “The the time for decisive action has long since expired“, he wrote on Telegram, urging to cut energy revenues that finance Moscow's war machine. message directed especially at Trump, which has so far avoided new heavy sanctions, but also to the leaders of Europe, the G7 and the G20, who are called upon to tighten the international pressure even further.
