Ukraine war: Russia launches drone strike against Kiev – as commander ‘fired for lying about war progress’ | World news

Russia launched a major drone strike on Kiev overnight, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning that the attack shows his capital needs better air defenses.

Ukraine’s air defense units shot down 50 of 73 Russian drones launched, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the strikes.

Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs and about 460 attack drones in the past week.

Warning that Ukraine needs to improve its air defense, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “An air alert has been issued almost daily across Ukraine this week”.

“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state.

“But Russia still continues its efforts to kill our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us.”

Russia did not comment on the attack.

It comes as Russian media reported that Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the country’s southern military district, had been removed from his role for allegedly providing misleading reports on the progress of his troops.

While Russian forces have advanced at the fastest rate in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, forces have been much slower around Siversk and the eastern Donetsk region.

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Russian war bloggers have long complained that units there are poorly supported and thrown into deadly combat for little tactical gain.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented on the reports.