Baghdad: Russian forces launched a large-scale air attack on Ukraine on Friday evening, using a combination of combat drones and ballistic missiles, in a new escalation in the war that has been ongoing for more than three years. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that their air defenses successfully intercepted a number of Russian drones that targeted the capital, Kyiv, on Friday evening, while dozens of other drones continued to fly over the country, threatening further strikes.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, earlier the same day, Russia launched ballistic missiles at targets near the city of Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine. Unconfirmed reports also indicated the deployment of Russian strategic bombers capable of launching long-range cruise missiles.

Russia has regularly targeted Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure as part of its ongoing air attacks since the outbreak of the all-out war in February 2022.