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Ukrainian authorities have declared the start of mass production for a new locally engineered interceptor drone to strengthen its air defences. The first three producers have started manufacturing, with 11 more getting ready to set up production lines, Ukrainian military officials announced this past Friday.

Advanced 'Octopus' System Tested in Combat Conditions

These UAVs utilize a domestically developed system known as “Octopus” designed to intercept Iranian-made drones. The system underwent testing in combat and demonstrated effective “at night, under jamming and at low altitudes,” the ministry confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established an ambitious goal of producing as many as 1,000 interceptors daily.

Latest Assault on the Capital Described as Deliberate

The Ukrainian president characterized Moscow's most recent assault on Ukraine as “deliberate, calculated and wicked” after six individuals lost their lives and many others injured in a series of nocturnal attacks throughout Kyiv. Air raid sirens sounded in the capital just after midnight this past Friday, with enemy UAVs soon heard overhead and heavy machine-gun fire from Ukraine's aerial protection units.

The president reported the country was hit by hundreds of UAVs and multiple missiles. Those killed were at home in an apartment building on Kyiv’s left bank during the strike. Dozens of other buildings sustained damage, including the Azerbaijani embassy.

International Objection After Diplomatic Compound Damage

Azerbaijan announced it delivered a formal objection to Moscow's diplomatic representative on Friday after the destruction at its diplomatic compound. The blast from a Russian Iskander missile destroyed a section of the compound's boundary wall and resulted in significant destruction to the diplomatic compound, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry reported. No one was hurt, and an official representative confirmed the diplomatic mission in Ukraine was continuing to operate.

Russian Glide Bomb Production Sees Major Expansion

Russia intends to produce as many as 120,000 glide bombs this year, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official said, including 500 of an innovative, extended-range model that is capable of targeting additional urban centers. Russian forces were firing hundreds of glide bombs per day, with last month’s average daily usage standing at about 170, based on official military statistics.

Kyiv's Attacks Focus on Moscow's Energy Infrastructure

Moscow's maritime terminal of Novorossiysk halted for a period crude shipments on Friday – equivalent to 2% of worldwide oil production – following a strike by Ukrainian forces. Military commanders in Kyiv stated its military had launched domestically produced missiles and deployed multiple kinds of strike drones in the assault against Novorossiysk “as part of operations to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor.”

Ukrainian forces additionally struck an oil refinery in the Saratov area and an energy depot in the adjacent Engels region overnight.

Global Restrictions Impact Moscow's Oil Producer

Russia’s second-largest oil producer Lukoil said this past Friday it has been in talks with interested parties regarding its foreign assets following last month’s sanctions from the UK and the US and failure of an agreement with commodity trader Gunvor. “The specific deal will be announced after the final agreements are completed and required authorizations have been obtained,” the company stated.

Ukrainian President Schedules Visit to Spain

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Tuesday to confer with parliament members following his trip to France, Spanish parliamentary officials disclosed. The Ukrainian president will convene with representatives from both chambers of the legislature during his visit, an official announcement confirmed.