Russian drones pound Kyiv region for second day, hitting homes and warehouses

Russian forces launched a fresh wave of drone attacks on Ukraine's Kyiv region on Friday, marking a second consecutive day of aerial bombardment that targeted residential and industrial areas. Local officials reported damage to at least 14 warehouses, 16 private houses, three apartment buildings, and 16 vehicles across the region.

The attacks, which stretched into daylight hours, killed one person and wounded two others, according to the Kyiv regional military administration. In one instance, emergency crews responding to an initial strike were targeted by a second drone, a tactic the military refers to as a "double tap."

The renewed assault follows a 15-hour lockdown of the Ukrainian capital on Thursday, which the Foreign Ministry said severely disrupted the economy and civilian life. Officials noted that even longer alert periods are routine in regions closer to the front line.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its forces struck a warehouse storing Ukrainian cruise missiles and rocket fuel, a statement Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed. Recent strikes have damaged numerous warehouses across the region, including facilities holding consumer goods and food.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, said Russia is deploying small numbers of fast-moving jet-powered drones in waves, aiming to exhaust air defenses and the population. Authorities in the Kyiv region also reported deteriorating air quality and advised residents in some areas to keep windows closed.

In the southern Kherson region, largely under Russian control, officials are urging tens of thousands of residents to evacuate due to the likelihood of extended power and heating outages this winter. The region has seen a surge in glide bomb attacks, with 170 recorded since July 1. Officials there predict outages lasting not just hours or days, but potentially for a long period.

Ukraine's economy is also feeling the strain. The Ministry of Economy has revised its 2026 GDP growth forecast downward to 0.8% from an earlier estimate of 1.3%, citing Russian attacks that have restricted exports, particularly grain through Black Sea ports.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continued its own long-range strikes on Russian territory. A drone attack on a refinery in the Yaroslavl region caused a fire and killed one person, while another drone damaged a supermarket in the Moscow region. In Sevastopol, Crimea, a residential building was significantly damaged, wounding four people.