Ukraine late on Wednesday said its aerial defense units had detected half a dozen balloons, apparently launched by Russia, over the capital, Kyiv, and shot most of them down.
Kyiv authorities said the balloons could carry reconnaissance equipment and were launched to “detect and exhaust our air defense forces.”
“Most of the probes have been shot down,” they said in a statement, adding that they would carefully examine the debris.
Photo: REUTERS
The balloons prompted sirens to go off in the Ukrainian capital, which usually happens when missiles are approaching.
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said that Russia uses balloons to exhaust Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles.
“The Russians will use all available methods of warfare to achieve their goals,” he said. “It cannot be ruled out that these devices can conduct some kind of surveillance, so it is important to see what they are and understand them.”
Since the start of the Russian invasion in February last year, Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reported Russian balloons drifting in the country’s airspace.
On Tuesday, Moldova temporarily closed its airspace due to the presence of a flying object resembling a weather balloon amid heightened tensions with Moscow.
The US has been in a state of alarm since a balloon from China was spotted tracking over a series of top secret nuclear weapons sites, before being shot down off the east coast early this month.
Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly is planning to vote on a draft resolution on “the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, as it marks one year since Russia invaded the country.
The resolution would demand Moscow withdraw its troops and call for a halt to hostilities.
The 193-member General Assembly is likely to vote on it next week after two days of speeches by country representaives to mark the anniversary of the start of the war.
Ukraine and its supporters hope to deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation by seeking yes votes from nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly to match — if not better — the support received for several resolutions last year.
“We count on very broad support from the membership. What is at stake is not just the fate of Ukraine, it is the respect of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of every state,” said EU Ambassador to the UN Olof Skoog, who codrafted the resolution.
Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy declined to comment on the draft, which was sent to UN members on Wednesday.
The General Assembly has been the focus for UN action on Ukraine because the 15-member UN Security Council has been paralyzed by Russia, which holds a veto power along with the US, China, France and the UK.
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