Air defence deployed in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts due to drone attack

Friday, 17 March 2023, 20:45

An air-raid warning was issued in the city of Kyiv and a number of oblasts of Ukraine on Friday evening as air defence shot down Shahed kamikaze drones.

Source: Air-raid alert map and Kyiv Oblast Military Administration; Zhytomyr Oblast Military Administration; Yurii Ihnat, Spokesperson for the Air Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, speaking to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: The air-raid alert started in Zaporizhzhia (20:44) and Dnipropetrovsk (20:59) oblasts.

As of 21:20, an air-raid warning was also issued in Poltava, Kharkiv and Chernihiv oblasts, in the capital and Kyiv Oblast. Later, the warning spread to Zhytomyr, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Rivne and most of the oblasts in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that Shahed drones were in the air and the Russians were attacking from the north and south-east.

The Kyiv Oblast Military Administration announced: "Kyiv Oblast! Threat of drone attack. Could residents please stay in safe places until the all-clear is announced."

At 21:41, the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration reported that "air defence is activated".

Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote on Telegram: "Balalaikas [Russian drones – ed.] are being downed by air defence forces. But do not ignore the air-raid warning."

At 22:25, Vitalii Bunechko, Head of the Zhytomyr Oblast Military Administration, reported that air defence was operating in Zhytomyr Oblast as well. 

Eyewitnesses told Ukrainska Pravda that air defence had been activated in Korosten, Zhytomyr Oblast.

At the same time, the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration warned that the danger from the air remained and air defence was still operating in the region.

Meanwhile, the city of Novomoskovsk in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was attacked.

Updated: At 23:09, the all-clear began to be gradually announced in Ukrainian oblasts.

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