Russia allegedly attacked Ukraine with kamikaze drones again Monday, reportedly killing at least four in the invaded nation and prompting U.S. government officials to accuse Vladimir Putin of war crimes.
Reports claimed that Russian forces targeted infrastructure and buildings across Ukraine in the second wave of air strikes in a week. As before, the attacks occurred in the morning as people were leaving for work or school, Reuters suggested.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Kyiv said Monday’s barrage came in waves of 28 drones, a tactic some suggest may be used by Russia to avoid depleting its long-range precision missile stockpiles, the Associated Press reported.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said five drones hit Kyiv. Yurii Ihnat, a Ukrainian air force spokesman, said at least 13 northbound planes were shot down in Kyiv, according to AP.
The Ukrainian military claims it destroyed 37 Russian drones since Saturday evening, about 85% of those used in the attack.
The White House condemned the alleged Russian strikes, which continue to demonstrate President Putin’s brutality, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She claimed that reports from Kyiv appear to show Iranian Shahed-136 drones striking the city, though Iran has denied selling weapons to Moscow.
Last week, at least 26 people in Ukraine were reported killed in kamikaze drone and missile attacks, as noted in The Dallas Express.
At least five people were killed Thursday in Mykolaiv, a southern Ukrainian city, according to the New York Post.
Mykolaiv Regional Governor Vitaliy Kim said that one of the killed was an 11-year-old boy. The boy was trapped under rubble for six hours before being rescued and taken to a nearby hospital, where he died, according to Kim.
“There are no words!!!” the governor wrote on his social media. Kim said Russians are “terrorist creatures,” the Post reported.
On Monday, Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. for the latest round of funding as that country continues to wage war with Russia.
“Sincerely grateful to [Biden], the [American] people for providing another $725 [million] security aid package,” he tweeted. “We will receive, in particular, much-needed rounds for HIMARS and artillery. A wonderful gift for [Ukraine] Defenders’ Day! The Russian aggressor will be defeated, [Ukraine] will be free!”
Zelenskyy’s tweet followed continual requests that he has made to the U.S. and its NATO allies for more money, weaponry, and missile defense, as reported by The Dallas Express. In total, America has sent at least $18.2 billion of taxpayer money in aid to Ukraine, according to a press release from the Department of Defense.
The taxpayer-funded spending packages have drawn criticism from groups, such as the Heritage Foundation, which suggest that there is no meaningful oversight of how the money is being spent.
A since-restricted expose on the Ukrainian use of U.S. military aid claimed that only about 30% of the taxpayer funds were actually being used for the intended purpose.
