A Ukrainian girl was tragically killed when a Russian Shahed drone struck her bedroom in Kyiv, as part of a dramatic increase in drone attacks from Russia. Maria Troyanivska, 14, was at home early that evening when the drone crashed through her window and exploded, killing her instantly while she was lying in bed. Her parents, Viktoria and Volodymyr, ran into her room to try and put out the flames, but the fire was too intense, and they were forced to flee the apartment. Maria’s body was found unrecognizable, and she was buried in a closed coffin.
Russia has significantly ramped up drone strikes on Ukraine, with over 2,000 drones launched in October alone, marking a record number. These drones, mainly Shaheds designed in Iran, are cheap to produce, hard to intercept, and cause immense damage. Since the beginning of the war, drone strikes have become a nightly occurrence across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
In November, Russia launched a record 145 drones in one day, with Ukrainian air defenses shooting down over 60 of them. Despite these efforts, the sheer number of drones overwhelms Ukraine’s defense systems, and many still manage to hit civilian areas, causing destruction and casualties. Ukrainian officials believe the main purpose of the drone attacks is to terrorize civilians rather than strike military targets.
Ukraine’s air defense units are stretched thin, as drone attacks have now increased from 50 per month to 100 per night. Vitaliy, a member of an air defense unit, describes how they must constantly move their equipment to track and intercept the drones, but even when they succeed, debris from the drones still causes damage and casualties.
The drone attacks have devastated Ukrainian civilians, with many, like Viktoria and Volodymyr, now living in temporary accommodations and constantly seeking shelter from the ongoing strikes. They, along with other Ukrainians, remain perplexed and outraged by the relentless attacks on civilian areas. “What sense does it make?” Volodymyr questioned. “It’s just the ambitions of sick people.”
As Russia continues its assault, Ukrainians remain in fear of what the next night’s attack will bring. The impact of these drone strikes has shifted the lives of many civilians, dividing them into lives before and after the attacks.