Ukraine Shoots Down Russian Drones, US to Send Missile Defense System

Ukraine Shoots Down Russian Drones, US to Send Missile Defense¹ System

Ukraine says it shot down 13 drones launched by Russia Wednesday over the capital Kyiv.

A city official in Kyiv, Serhii Popko, wrote on the social media service Telegram the attempted strikes came in two waves. He said wreckage² from the downed drones damaged an administration building and four housing structures.

The snow-covered capital remained largely calm after the early morning attack, The Associated Press reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement all 13 Iranian-made drones were identified by air defense systems and destroyed.

The back of one wrecked³ drone had a handwritten message on it that said, "For Ryazan!!!" The message was believed to be a reference to an attack Russia claims Ukraine launched last week on a military base in the Ryazan area of western Russia.

Drones have been used by Russia – along with rockets, missiles and artillery⁴ weapons – to target power stations, water centers and other infrastructure⁵ in Ukraine.

The damage caused by Russian strikes has at times cut off electricity, heating and water supplies to many Ukrainians as winter sets in.

Ukrainian officials have praised the military's ability to identify incoming Russian weapons and shoot them down. But strikes in some areas continue to cause deaths and destruction, especially in areas close to the front lines in the east and south. In the southern city of Odesa, drone strikes temporarily shut off power last week.

During an earlier round of Russian strikes on December 5, Ukrainian officials said about 60 of 70 weapons were identified by air defense systems. This included nine out of 10 that targeted the capital and the surrounding area.

US to send missile defense system

American officials said Tuesday the United States was set to approve sending the Patriot⁶ missile defense system to Ukraine. Ukrainian leaders have made urgent requests to receive defense systems and stronger weapons from the West to shoot down incoming Russian missiles.

Zelenskyy pressed Western leaders as recently as Monday to provide more powerful weapons to help his country. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February.

U.S. officials told Reuters news agency an announcement on sending the Patriot system to Ukraine could come as soon as Thursday.

Russia said on Wednesday the U.S. Patriot missile defense system could be targeted by Russian forces if it is deployed⁷ in Ukraine.

Currently, no peace talks are taking place to end the war, which has killed thousands, displaced millions and damaged major cities.

This week, President Zelenskyy called on Russia to start withdrawing troops by Christmas as the first step toward a peace deal. But Russia said on Wednesday it had no plans to establish a "Christmas ceasefire."

Words in This Story

drone – n. an unmanned aircraft

reference – n. the act of mentioning something

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) needed for a country or area to operate

advanced – adj. having developed or progressed to a late stage

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

3 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

4 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。