Russia-Ukraine war live: 18 Russian drones shot down overnight, Kyiv says; inquiry into

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 18 Russian drones and one missile

Ukraine’s air force has shot down 18 out of 23 Iranian-made Shahed drones and one missile that Russia fired at its territory overnight, according to a report by Agence France Presse. An update on social media by the Ukraine‘s air force said “combat operations” had resulted in 18 attack drones and one X-59 guided missile being destroyed. It also added that a cultural centre and a shop were hit in Kherson.

Local officials have also reported attempted attacks on the western regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi, as well as Mykolaiv and Kherson in the south.

Moscow typically fires dozens of drones at Ukraine every week in waves of overnight attacks targeting energy facilities and military sites deep behind the frontlines. Russia has also reported downing several attempted Ukrainian drone attacks in recent weeks, says AFP, including some launched at the capital, Moscow.

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Local officials have also reported attempted attacks on the western regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi, as well as Mykolaiv and Kherson in the south.

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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Here is a brief summary of the latest developments.

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Ukraine has launched an inquiry into what it said was an “execution” by Russian forces of two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers who were surrendering. Video appeared to show the Ukrainian soldiers’ last moments as they emerged from their trench near the town of Avdiivka. One raised his arms in the air before they were both shot at close range. Russia’s military command began a major offensive against Avdiivka in October, and has been trying for nearly two months to encircle the town. There has so far been no breakthrough, despite huge losses of infantry and armoured vehicles.

Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, hailed his country’s “reliable” friendship with China on Monday as he held talks with counterpart Xi Jinping on his second trip to Beijing this year. Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Moscow, arrived in China on Sunday for a visit expected to last at least two days. He and Xi will discuss issues including “trade, the economy, investment and international cooperation”, his office said on Sunday. Lukashenko last came to China in February, a trip that drew scrutiny given Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “Belarus is, was and will be a reliable partner for China,” Lukashenko told Xi on Monday, according to a readout of the talks from the office of the Belarusian presidency.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported “intense battles” at dozens of frontline locations, with the most severe in the eastern towns of Maryinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut, but also reported heavy fighting in Kharkiv region and in the south. “Brutal” shelling rained down on “buildings, streets, our hospitals” in Kherson, he said, and offered condolences to families of those killed, noting Kherson region alone had suffered 20 shelling incidents in one day.

Russia launched 23 drones and a cruise missile against Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force said on Monday, adding that its air defence systems destroyed 18 of the drones and the missile before they reached their targets.
Anti-aircraft defences were deployed in at least nine regions of Ukraine, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine said at least three people were killed and four injured in the latest Russian shelling. In Donetsk region, the prosecutor general’s office said a 69-year-old woman was killed on the spot and a 70-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds in the town of Kostyantynivka. In Kherson region, shelling in the village of Sadove killed a 78-year-old man in a private garage, the local military administration said, adding, “He died on the spot from the explosive injury.” Kherson region officials said on Sunday their air defences downed 10 Russian drones.

The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, will travel to Washington DC on Wednesday, in his first visit to the US since taking up the position last month. Cameron will meet the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, among other officials, and will take part in discussions focusing on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, a UK Foreign Office statement said.

Ukraine and Poland will open an additional border crossing for empty trucks on Monday in order to open up a much-needed route for Kyiv, with some crossings blocked by weeks of protests by Polish drivers, Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday.

Russia launched 12 drones and a cruise missile at Ukraine, Ukraine’s air force said on Sunday, with air defence systems destroying 10 drones before they reached their targets.

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Key events

Processing of empty trucks has begun at the Poland-Ukraine border checkpoint. About 30 cargo vehicles had been processed by 7am (Kyiv time) after registration began at 1am, said the Ukraine’s state border guard service.

The empty trucks departing from Ukraine to Poland were processed at the Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv checkpoint by customs services, in accordance with an agreement between Kyiv and Warsaw announced on Monday, reports the Kyiv Independent. The border guard service said in its statement: “The opening of Uhryniv is the first item on the list of measures implemented to unblock the border, reduce lines, and increase the capacity of the Ukrainian-Polish border.”

The Hungarian carrier Wizz Air has restarted inbound flights to Chisinau, Moldova, in eastern Europe, having suspended flights to the country in March due to tensions linked to Russia’s war with Ukraine. The budget airline also said it had suspended operations in Israel until early January 2024, reports PA Media.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 18 Russian drones and one missile

Local officials have also reported attempted attacks on the western regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi, as well as Mykolaiv and Kherson in the south.

Ukraine’s forces attacked an oil depot in Russia-controlled Luhansk on Sunday night using combat drones, Reuters reports. A fire that broke out after the attack was extinguished and there was no information about casualties. The information comes via the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing Russian-installed authorities in the Ukrainian region.

Opening summary

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Here is a brief summary of the latest developments.

Ukraine has launched an inquiry into what it said was an “execution” by Russian forces of two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers who were surrendering. Video appeared to show the Ukrainian soldiers’ last moments as they emerged from their trench near the town of Avdiivka. One raised his arms in the air before they were both shot at close range. Russia’s military command began a major offensive against Avdiivka in October, and has been trying for nearly two months to encircle the town. There has so far been no breakthrough, despite huge losses of infantry and armoured vehicles.
Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, hailed his country’s “reliable” friendship with China on Monday as he held talks with counterpart Xi Jinping on his second trip to Beijing this year. Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Moscow, arrived in China on Sunday for a visit expected to last at least two days. He and Xi will discuss issues including “trade, the economy, investment and international cooperation”, his office said on Sunday. Lukashenko last came to China in February, a trip that drew scrutiny given Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “Belarus is, was and will be a reliable partner for China,” Lukashenko told Xi on Monday, according to a readout of the talks from the office of the Belarusian presidency.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported “intense battles” at dozens of frontline locations, with the most severe in the eastern towns of Maryinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut, but also reported heavy fighting in Kharkiv region and in the south. “Brutal” shelling rained down on “buildings, streets, our hospitals” in Kherson, he said, and offered condolences to families of those killed, noting Kherson region alone had suffered 20 shelling incidents in one day.
Russia launched 23 drones and a cruise missile against Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force said on Monday, adding that its air defence systems destroyed 18 of the drones and the missile before they reached their targets.
Anti-aircraft defences were deployed in at least nine regions of Ukraine, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine said at least three people were killed and four injured in the latest Russian shelling. In Donetsk region, the prosecutor general’s office said a 69-year-old woman was killed on the spot and a 70-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds in the town of Kostyantynivka. In Kherson region, shelling in the village of Sadove killed a 78-year-old man in a private garage, the local military administration said, adding, “He died on the spot from the explosive injury.” Kherson region officials said on Sunday their air defences downed 10 Russian drones.
The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, will travel to Washington DC on Wednesday, in his first visit to the US since taking up the position last month. Cameron will meet the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, among other officials, and will take part in discussions focusing on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, a UK Foreign Office statement said.
Ukraine and Poland will open an additional border crossing for empty trucks on Monday in order to open up a much-needed route for Kyiv, with some crossings blocked by weeks of protests by Polish drivers, Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday.
Russia launched 12 drones and a cruise missile at Ukraine, Ukraine’s air force said on Sunday, with air defence systems destroying 10 drones before they reached their targets.

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