KYIV, March 28: Russia launched over 270 drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least five people, Ukrainian authorities reported. The strikes targeted multiple regions, including Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, and Poltava.
In Odesa, more than 60 drones hit the Black Sea port city, killing two and injuring at least 11, damaging a maternity hospital, private homes, port facilities, and business infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as “pure terror against ordinary civilian life.”
In Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, a Russian drone struck an industrial facility, killing two men and injuring two others. Another individual was killed in the Poltava region as industrial sites were targeted.
Despite the scale of the assault, Ukraine’s air force reported that 252 of the 273 drones were intercepted or electronically jammed, highlighting Kyiv’s growing drone-defence capabilities.
Amid the attacks, Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to the United Arab Emirates to discuss regional security and share Ukraine’s drone-defence expertise with Arab states, helping them counter Iranian drone threats.
He met with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the security situation in the Gulf, Iranian strikes, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that “terror must not prevail anywhere in the world.” Kyiv is reportedly assisting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan in developing effective counter-drone systems.
Ukraine has become a leading producer of battle-tested, cost-effective drone interceptors, which are central to defending against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
In exchange for sharing its expertise, Kyiv is seeking advanced air-defence systems from Gulf countries to strengthen its own defences against continued Russian attacks, demonstrating both its military innovation and strategic cooperation with international partners. (AP)
