Russia attacks Ukraine with 164 drones as European officials meet in Kyiv
Russia attacked Ukraine with 164 drones and an Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile overnight on Sept. 13 as top officials gathered in Kyiv for the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference, the Air Force reported.
Ukrainian air defense downed 137 drones in the north, south, east, and center of Ukraine, according to the Air Force.
However, a missile and 27 drones struck nine locations, although the Air Force did not specify where. No victims were reported.
Russia has amped up its drone attacks this year, with a record 810 launched at Ukraine on Sept. 7.
Days later, around 20 Russian drones flew into Polish airspace on Sept. 10, with the Polish Air Force shooting down several of them, marking the first time a NATO member has downed Russian military assets.
The incursion has put Europeans on edge and sparked concerns about how to defend against another potential wave of Russian drones. It also inflamed debate about whether it should be considered an attack or not and at what point NATO should trigger Article 5, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying Russia could have made a mistake.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrived in Kyiv on Sept. 12 for the two-day YES conference, where he discussed the attack with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said Ukraine is ready to share its experience with Poland and jointly develop a defense system.
Hours after the incursion, European companies reached out to a Ukrainian defense firm as interest in anti-drone technology skyrocketed.
Sikorski was joined by other European officials including the U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, as well as French, German, and Italian officials. Discussions on shared security, Ukraine’s EU and NATO accession, and pressure on Moscow were on the agenda.
"These countries stand at the forefront of the 'coalition of the willing,' which is shaping a new security system for the European continent," Zelensky's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said on X.
