Russia pummels Kyiv in latest deadly daytime attack

Russia has been deploying newer jet-powered drones that move faster and are harder to intercept than the traditional models, which are based on Iranian Shahed drones.

Zelenskyy last week renewed his appeal to Ukraine’s Western allies to step up their military support, including for US-made Patriot interceptors capable of downing powerful ballistic missiles.

His request comes as Ukrainians consider their options with winter approaching, after Russian attacks last year on energy infrastructure cut power and heating as temperatures plunged to as low as -20C.

In an interview with Ukrainian television broadcast on Sunday night, Koretsky stopped short of saying that all residents in cities should leave before winter sets in, calling that an “extreme step”.

But he suggested that vulnerable people should relocate, to avoid overloading the hard-pressed emergency services as they deal with the aftermath of the relentless Russian strikes.

“If a person lives, for example, on the 16th floor and for instance the power gets cut, why at that moment, when the state emergency service specialists need to focus on dealing with the consequences, should we be… handling people who need extra attention?” he told TSN television.

“For such people, it’s worth finding an alternative place to stay for the winter period.”

Meanwhile, European defence ministers discussed whether the European Union needed its own NATO-style emergency mechanism to bolster coordination against “hybrid attacks” by Russia.

European governments say Moscow is stepping up its campaign of sabotage and interference against Ukraine’s supporters, as Kremlin troops struggle to make headway on the frontlines.