drone attacks in Kiev

Kiev (dpa) — Ukrainian air defence systems were repelling swarms of Russian drones over Kiev late on Saturday, as the country’s military reported new Russian tactics near the eastern city of Pokrovsk.

The Ukrainian military warned the combat drones were approaching the southern city of Kherson from the Black Sea, calling on residents of the city – and of the capital – to seek shelter.

Alerts were also issued in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhya regions.

Military administrator Ivan Fedorov reported that a kindergarten and a residential building were hit in Zaporizhzhya, with one woman suffering a splinter wound to the head.

The latest aerial assault comes after months of unsuccessful efforts by US President Donald Trump to broker an end to the conflict, which has been ongoing for more than three and a half years.

Heavy fighting is continuing on the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where the armed forces say that the Russian army has changed its tactics.

A Ukrainian unit responsible for the embattled ruins of Pokrovsk said a unit of Russian marines recently deployed to the area is trying to penetrate the city as deeply as possible in small groups, aiming to approach the positions of Ukrainian artillery and drone controllers.

Russian troops have reportedly attempted to break up the Ukrainian defence lines and establish themselves in new positions.

With the increased use of tanks and armoured vehicles, the Russian military is also attempting to completely encircle the city and its defenders.

“According to available information, Russia is planning to deploy its troops in the Donetsk region for a so-called “decisive breakthrough,” the Ukrainian unit said on Facebook.

The city, a major transport hub, has been under constant assault from Russian forces in recent months and has been largely destroyed in heavy fighting that has caused high casualties on both side.

On Friday, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Russia was advancing near Pokrovsk.