Ukraine downs 9 Russian drones; energy facilities hit in Kryvyi Rih

Ukraine’s air defences downed nine of 14 Russian drones in an overnight attack that hit energy infrastructure in the city of Kryvyi Rih, the air force and regional officials said on Saturday.

It is the second drone attack in two days on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul said energy facilities were hit, resulting in electricity cut-offs for thousands of people.

In some districts water supplies and heating were also disrupted as temperatures hovered just below freezing. Hospitals were switched to generators for electricity supplies, he said.

The air force said in a statement that the Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down over four Ukrainian regions in the centre and south of the country.