Russian drone looms near Mariinskyi Palace during Starmer-Zelenskyy talks in Kyiv

A Russian drone was detected near Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 16 January, The Guardian reports.

“The aircraft – possibly a Russian decoy – could be seen and heard buzzing above the Mariinskyi Palace, not far from the president’s office,” The Guardian reported.

On the afternoon of 16 January, the Russian army launched a drone attack on Kyiv. Kyiv city authorities reported drone debris fell in five districts: Solomyanskyi, Dniprovskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi, and Pecherskyi. No casualties were reported.

The attack damaged private property. A drone fragment destroyed a car engine and partially damaged the interior in the Solomyanskyi district, according to Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitchko. A building facade sustained minor damage in the Dniprovskyi district, according to Kyiv authorities.

Russia continues to conduct nearly daily drone attacks on Ukraine. These assaults are part of a broader strategy to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses and target critical infrastructure, contributing to ongoing civilian threats and damage across various oblasts.

Ukrainian air defense forces intercepted 34 drones across 11 oblasts overnight on 16 January. Another 18 drones failed to reach their targets, military officials report.

Read also: