Russian drone strikes hit Kyiv warehouses, prompting food shortages and school disruptions

Russian forces continued a series of aerial attacks on Kyiv and nearby cities for a fifth consecutive day, targeting warehouses that supply food retailers. The strikes have resulted in empty supermarket shelves and heightened public anxiety about shortages.

In the Kyiv region, aerial assaults on the towns of Brovary and Boryspil wounded four people, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s strategy is to wear down Ukraine and its people, and acknowledged difficulties in countering fast-flying jet-propelled drones, which accounted for about 800 of the roughly 1,500 drones launched between Thursday and Sunday.

Zelenskyy noted that four companies have developed interceptor drones, with one achieving the most successful results, though he did not name the firms.

Ukrainian officials warned that repeated strikes on food distribution centers could disrupt logistics, but adviser Serhii Beskrestnov assured the public that the country will not go hungry and urged people not to spread rumors. He said producers and retailers are restructuring supply chains and that European nations stand ready to assist if shortages arise.

The attacks also targeted Ukraine’s power grid, with a massive overnight drone strike damaging an energy facility in the northern Chernihiv region, according to regional administrator Viacheslav Chaus. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is preparing "massive strikes" on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

In response, Russia reported shooting down 239 Ukrainian drones over its territory, occupied Crimea and the Black Sea, while a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed three people, regional governor Alexander Shuvayev said.