With the aid of Western-supplied weaponry, Ukrainian air defenses stopped an aggressive Russian air assault on Kyiv early on Tuesday, shooting down all 18 missiles aimed at the city, according to authorities.
The midnight onslaught, which included Russian missiles launched from the air, sea, and land in an apparent attempt to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses, caused loud booms to resound above Kyiv. There were no casualties recorded.
The airstrike took place as European leaders looked for fresh methods to punish Russia for the conflict and a Chinese ambassador tried to gain support for Beijing's peace plan, which so far doesn't seem to have had much of an impact on the warring parties. It also coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's welcome home from a quick trip to Europe of Ukraine's most important wartime allies, which led to a further offer of military help.
The attack on Kyiv last night was "exceptional in its density — the maximum number of attacking missiles in the shortest period of time," according to Serhii Popko, the commander of the military administration in Kyiv.
A 64-year-old resident of Kyiv named Valentyna Myronets claimed that she experienced "pain, fear, nervousness, and restlessness" throughout the attacks. God, we're looking forward to winning and when this is all done, she prayed.
Melinda Simmons, the U.K. ambassador, tweeted that the barrage was "pretty intense."
She commented, "Bangs and trembling walls are not an easy night.
The capital has been the target of Russian air assaults eight times this month, a clear increase after several weeks of calm and in advance of the eagerly expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat claimed in a message on Telegram that six "Kinzhal" aero-ballistic missiles were launched from MiG-31K aircraft, nine cruise missiles was launched from ships in the Black Sea, and three land-based S-400 cruise missiles were launched toward the capital.
Ihnat said that after the initial assault, Russia also launched Shahed attack drones built in Iran and engaged in aerial reconnaissance.
No losses were recorded, according to Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, although debris that fell over numerous neighborhoods in the city set fire to them.
Advanced air defense systems, particularly Patriot missiles developed in the United States, delivered by Ukraine's Western partners have helped save Kyiv from the type of carnage seen elsewhere in the nation as Russian forces continue to use their long-range bombing technique.
Two of the businesses engaged in the production of the Patriot missile system, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, were identified on a metal fragment that fell inside the Kyiv zoo and was observed by reporters from the Associated Press.
According to a Russian defense official, the strike on Tuesday in Kyiv destroyed a Patriot missile battery. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for the Russian Defence Ministry, said that a "Kinzhal" destroyed the system.
He didn't back up his claim with any evidence, therefore it couldn't be independently verified. The Ukrainian air force's spokesperson, Ihnat, declined to respond to the assertion.
According to military analysts, the improved air defenses have prevented Russian planes from flying far into Ukraine and have altered the direction of the conflict.
Later on Tuesday, the 46-nation Council of Europe, the continent's primary human rights organization, will have a rare meeting in which European leaders will participate.
The two-day summit in Iceland intends to establish a system for recording damage inflicted on Ukraine by Russian forces so that compensation claims may be made against Moscow.
A Chinese representative is getting ready to travel to Russia and Ukraine in the coming days as Beijing pushes the peace proposal it unveiled in February.
Former ambassador to Moscow Li Hui will also go to France, Germany, and Poland, the Chinese foreign ministry has said.
The suggestion from China has been cautiously accepted by Ukraine, who also stated that they would wait to see what concrete activities China takes. The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping claims to be impartial and wishes to act as a mediator in the conflict, but it has given Moscow political backing, and a breakthrough now more than 14 months after Russia's full-scale invasion looks doubtful.
Russian authorities have started preparing for the anticipated evacuation of 3,100 employees and their families from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to a representative of Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear company, in the region of southern Ukraine that is currently occupied by Russia and located about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Kyiv.
Before the war, the facility, which was the biggest in Europe, employed about 11,000 people; 6,000 of them are still employed there and in the nearby town of Enerhodar.
According to the person, who spoke to The Associated Press under the condition of anonymity due to security reasons, more Russian military forces have been arriving at the location and they are continuing to mine its grounds.
In order to lessen the possibility of information seeping out about Russian positions and military equipment installed inside, Russian forces have forbidden the remaining employees from talking with each other or leaving the facility, according to Energoatom in a Telegram message.
Additional developments
— Russian bombardment of Ukrainian territories from Monday night through Tuesday morning resulted in at least seven civilian deaths and 14 additional injuries, according to the country's presidential office.
— The head of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Semen Kryvonos, stated on Tuesday that mining billionaire Kostiantyn Zhevago was the primary suspect in the latest corruption scandal, which resulted in the detention of the Supreme Court's leader on Monday for alleged bribery.
Zhevago was detained in January in the French Alps on allegations that he stole tens of millions of euros. His extradition has been demanded by Kyiv.