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Ukraine has announced the start of large-scale manufacturing for a new domestically developed defensive UAV to enhance its air defences. Three initial producers have begun manufacturing, with 11 more preparing to establish assembly lines, the defence ministry stated on Friday.

Advanced 'Octopus' System Proven in Combat Conditions

The drones will be based on a nationally created system known as “Octopus” engineered to neutralize Iranian-made drones. This technology has been tested in actual battle and demonstrated successful “during nighttime, amid electronic warfare and at low altitudes,” the ministry confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established a target of manufacturing as many as 1,000 interceptors daily.

Recent Assault on the Capital Described as Deliberate

The Ukrainian president described Moscow's most recent assault on Ukraine as “intentional, calculated and wicked” after six individuals lost their lives and dozens wounded in a wave of night-time strikes throughout Kyiv. Alert systems activated in Kyiv just after midnight this past Friday, with enemy UAVs quickly heard overhead and intensive defensive fire from Ukrainian air defences.

Zelenskyy reported the country was targeted by 430 drones and multiple missiles. The deceased had been inside their residences in a block of flats on the capital's left bank when it was hit. Dozens of other buildings sustained damage, among them the Azerbaijani embassy.

International Objection After Diplomatic Compound Destruction

Azerbaijan announced it issued a strong protest to Moscow's diplomatic representative this past Friday after the embassy damage. The blast from a Russian Iskander missile destroyed a section of the compound's boundary wall and resulted in significant destruction to the embassy grounds, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry reported. There were no personnel was hurt, and a ministry spokesperson said the diplomatic mission in Ukraine was maintaining operations.

Moscow's Aerial Bomb Production Experiences Major Expansion

Russia intends to manufacture up to 120,000 guided aerial bombs in the current year, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official disclosed, among them 500 of a new, extended-range model that is capable of targeting additional urban centers. Russian forces have been launching 200 to 250 aerial bombs daily, with last month’s average daily usage standing at about 170, based on official military statistics.

Ukrainian Strikes Target Moscow's Energy Infrastructure

Moscow's maritime terminal of Novorossiysk halted for a period crude shipments this past Friday – equivalent to two percent of global supply – following a Ukrainian missile and drone attack. Military commanders in Kyiv said its forces had launched domestically produced missiles and used multiple kinds of attack UAVs in the attack on Novorossiysk “within the framework of efforts to diminish the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor.”

Ukraine separately targeted a processing plant in Russia’s Saratov region and a fuel storage facility in nearby Engels during the night.

Global Sanctions Impact Moscow's Oil Producer

Russia’s second-largest energy company Lukoil announced on Friday it is negotiating with potential buyers concerning its foreign assets after last month’s sanctions from the UK and the US and failure of a deal with the Gunvor trading house. “The specific deal will be announced after the final agreements are completed and the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained,” the company stated.

Zelenskyy Plans Visit to Spain

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the city of Madrid, the Spanish capital, on Tuesday to meet with parliament members a day after his visit to Paris, Spanish parliamentary officials disclosed. The Ukrainian president would meet representatives from all houses of the legislature during his visit, the Spanish statement confirmed.