Explosive drones for Christmas

Multiple explosive drones attacked Ukraine's capital early yesterday as Russia's President Vladimir Putin prepared to visit Belarus, which provided his forces with a launch pad for its invasion of Ukraine in February.

Three days of drone and missile attacks on Kyiv were described as one of Russia's biggest assaults on Kyiv since the invasion started and amid a broad battlefield stalemate.

The Russians launched 23 self-exploding drones over Kyiv while the city slept, but Ukrainian forces shot down 18 of them without fatalities being reported.

Yesterday was St Nicholas Day - the start of the Christmas holidays in Ukraine when children receive gifts hidden under pillows.

"This is how Russians greet our children on the holiday," said Serhii Kruk, head of Ukraine's State Emergency Service.

Although the capital was the main target other places were targeted. But 30 of at least 35 self-exploding drones Russia launched elsewhere in Ukraine from across the Azov Sea were downed.

As for Putin's travels, he was due in Belarus to meet its authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, who allowed Russian forces to use his country to invade Ukraine. It was to be a rare trip to Minsk by Putin.

ASSOCIATED PRESS