Russia launches barrage of drones and missiles after Sunak visit

Ukraine claimed three Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles fired by Russian fighter jets had been shot down

Russia fired 40 missiles and drones at Ukraine on Friday evening, hours after Rishi Sunak had visited Kyiv to sign a bilateral defence agreement with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine’s air force said that three of the six Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles fired by Russian fighter jets had been shot down by its defences and that other missiles and drones had also been destroyed.
“More than 20 of the attack weapons were shot down. They did not reach their objectives because of our active electronic warfare counteraction,” it said.
Kinzhal missiles are among the most sophisticated in Russia’s arsenal and can fly several times faster than the speed of sound.
The Kremlin has stepped up missile strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine this year after a New Year’s Day Ukrainian strike on its Black Sea Fleet in occupied Crimea and alleged attacks on Belgorod, a city in southern Russia.
Ukrainian media reported that one Russian cruise missile fired from bombers flying above the Caspian Sea had hit the town of Shostka in the northern Sumy region, injuring one woman and damaging 26 apartments. There were also reports of explosions in the Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kherson regions.
“Several private homes and non-residential buildings were damaged, one building was practically destroyed,” said police in Chernihiv.
The Rybar military blogging Telegram channel, which is closely linked to the Russian authorities, described the Russian attack on Ukraine as “massive”.
“Explosions occurred in the western and central regions of the country,” it said.
During his visit to Ukraine on Friday, Mr Sunak presented the Ukrainian parliament with a flag signed by members of his cabinet, toured a hospital for injured soldiers and agreed to give Ukraine another £2.5bn in military aid.
On Saturday, France’s new foreign minister Stephane Sejourne arrived in Kyiv for his first visit. He also promised to send more aid to Ukraine.
“For almost two years, Ukraine has been on the front line to defend its sovereignty and ensure the security of Europe. France’s aid is long-term,” he said.