Kyiv hit for fifth day as Russia's jet drones strain Ukraine's defences

Russia struck Kyiv and nearby cities for a fifth straight day with jet-powered drones. The attacks have rattled school reopening plans, disrupted supplies and sharpened pressure on Ukraine's defences.Image used for representational purposes onlyRussian forces pounded Kyiv and nearby cities for a fifth straight day on Monday, as Ukraine faced fresh pressure from Russia’s growing use of jet-powered drones. The attacks disrupted daily life in and around the capital, damaged warehouses and left some supermarket shelves bare after repeated strikes on food distribution and retail hubs.The escalation comes more than four years after Russia invaded Ukraine, with almost constant air raid alerts in the Kyiv region in recent days and new uncertainty ahead of the school term resuming on Tuesday. At the same time, wider diplomatic efforts led by the US remain stalled, though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is seeking to revive talks.A pall of black smoke hung over Kyiv on Monday morning. In Brovary and Boryspil in the Kyiv region, aerial attacks hit several warehouses and wounded four people, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration. Two major attacks in July killed almost 50 civilians, while a strike on Saturday killed at least 38 people.Zelenskyy said late Sunday that, “Right now, Russia’s tactic is to wear down Ukraine and Ukrainians - first and foremost, our people.” He also acknowledged that Ukraine is struggling to counter the fast-flying jet-powered drones that Russia is increasingly deploying. Between Thursday and Sunday, Russia fired almost 1,500 drones at Ukraine, and around 800 of them were jet-powered, he said. Combat aircraft are being used to try to stop them while Ukraine works on better countermeasures. “Four companies have developed the relevant interceptor drones, and one company has the most successful technology,” Zelenskyy said, without giving further details. He also said he had “a good call” on Monday with US President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, describing it as “detailed and constructive”. “Importantly, the dialogue between negotiating teams of the US and Ukraine continues all the time, and now we are talking about locking in the dates for the visit to Ukraine” by Witkoff and Kushner, Zelenskyy said on social media.The renewed attacks have added to public anxiety as schools prepare to reopen on Tuesday. While schools have air raid shelters and classes can also be held online, it was unclear whether parents would send their children. Ukraine’s Education Ministry had said earlier this month that about 1 million textbooks were destroyed in Russian attacks on publishing houses, which could delay deliveries at the start of the school year. Repeated Russian strikes on food distribution centres and retail hubs have also disrupted logistics. Responding to fears of shortages, Zelenskyy adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said on social media that Ukraine would not go hungry. He urged people not to give in to rumours, disinformation or panic, and said producers and retailers were restructuring supply chains. He added that European countries would be ready to fill any food supply shortfall if needed.Russia has also kept up pressure on Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter. Officials said a massive overnight drone attack hit the northern Chernihiv region, which borders Russia, damaging an energy facility. Viacheslav Chaus, head of the regional military administration, did not give details of the damage. On Sunday, Russia’s Defence Ministry said it was preparing “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.Ukraine, for its part, has tried to make Russian civilians feel the burden of the war by targeting major online retailers and oil facilities. Those attacks have caused shortages for ordinary Russians, though they have not been as deadly for Russian civilians as the attacks on Ukrainians. Overnight, Russia said it shot down 239 Ukrainian drones over 14 regions, the occupied Crimean Peninsula and the waters of the Black Sea. In Russia, a Ukrainian missile strike on Belgorod on Sunday evening killed three people, acting regional Governor Alexander Shuvayev said, while a Ukrainian drone attack wounded four people in Yekaterinburg on Monday, according to regional Governor Denis Pasler.As Ukraine deals with repeated strikes around Kyiv, damage to supply networks and energy facilities, and worries over schools reopening, Zelenskyy has said efforts are continuing both to strengthen defences against jet-powered drones and to keep diplomatic contacts with the US active.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 31, 2026 22:30 IST