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WorldNovember 7, 2024

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Dozens of Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in a nighttime attack that lasted eight hours, authorities said Thursday, as Russia kept up its relentless pounding of Ukraine after

HANNA ARHIROVA, Associated Press
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers put out a fire of a building which was resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers put out a fire of a building which was resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a rescuer puts out a fire resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a rescuer puts out a fire resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers put out a fire resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers put out a fire resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers clear the rubble of a damaged building which was resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, rescuers clear the rubble of a damaged building which was resulted from Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo taken from a bodycam video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a Russian servicemen takes part in a combat training for assault units at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo taken from a bodycam video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a Russian servicemen takes part in a combat training for assault units at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo taken from a video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a Russian serviceman fires gun towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo taken from a video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, a Russian serviceman fires gun towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
A relative lit candles and brings flowers and flags at the graves of the Ukrainian soldiers who died in the war with Russia on All Saints' Day on the Mars Field at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Mykola Tys)
A relative lit candles and brings flowers and flags at the graves of the Ukrainian soldiers who died in the war with Russia on All Saints' Day on the Mars Field at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Mykola Tys)ASSOCIATED PRESS

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Dozens of Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in a nighttime attack that lasted eight hours, authorities said Thursday, as Russia kept up its relentless pounding of Ukraine after almost 1,000 days of war.

Russian forces fired lone drones and swarms of drones that entered Ukrainian airspace from various directions and at a variety of altitudes, officials said, in an apparent attempt to stretch air defense systems and unnerve city residents.

Ukrainian air defenses “neutralized” three dozen drones, but falling debris caused damage to a hospital and residential and office buildings in the capital, local authorities said, including a blaze on the 33rd floor of an apartment building.

At least two people were reported injured.

Drone attacks on Kyiv have recently been occurring almost daily, with the nighttime explosions and the continuous buzzing sound of drones keeping the city on edge. Russia is deploying about 10 times more Iranian-made Shahed drones than it was this time last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week.

Ukraine’s forces are struggling to match the might of Russia’s military, which is much bigger and better equipped. Western support is crucial for Ukraine to sustain the costly war of attrition. The uncertainty over how long that aid will continue has deepened, however, with the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. He has repeatedly taken issue with U.S. aid to Ukraine.

Russia, meanwhile, is trying to grind down Ukraine’s appetite for the fight and sap the West’s support for Kyiv by drawing out the conflict.

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The Russian barrages mostly involve Shahed drones. They are suited to terrorizing civilians, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the state Center for Countering Disinformation.

Russia is aiming to save and stockpile its missiles, which are much more powerful than drones, Kovalenko claimed Thursday. Russia has used missiles effectively in its campaign to knock out Ukraine’s power grid.

Also, the drone attacks gradually wear down Ukraine’s air defenses, making it more vulnerable to future missile launches.

Power outages were reported in the Zhytomyr region, which borders Kyiv to the west, following a Russian attack there, according to the energy company Zhytomyroblenergo.

Another Russian drone attack injured one person in the southern city of Odesa, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said, as drone debris damaged an 11-story residential building.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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