KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian drone struck the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in central Kyiv at about 3 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, injuring three people, the Guardian reported. The strike came a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky said speed limits on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite service were making it harder to shoot down drones, which SpaceX denies.
Related: Kushner Says Europe Will Join Ukraine Peace Talks; Kremlin Says It Has Not Yet Agreed.
The hospital strike
The drone hit the second floor of the six-story hospital and an adjoining 19th-century building in the Shevchenkivskyi district, near the Danish and Romanian embassies.[1] Thirty people were evacuated, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing the city’s emergency service.
The hospital’s director, Roman Derkach, said medical services were suspended while the damage is cleared.[1]
Across Ukraine
Russian attacks killed nine people and injured 61 across Ukraine over the past day, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing local authorities. Four of the dead were in Donetsk Oblast and two in Odesa Oblast, regional governors said.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 117 long-range drones overnight, including 63 jet-powered ones, and that 80 were intercepted.[2]
A separate morning strike on a residential building in Zaporizhzhia injured 30 people, including six children, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.[3]
Strikes on energy sites caused outages in 12 regions, Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said.[1]
The Starshield dispute
Zelensky said Thursday that Ukrainian units had recorded significant Starshield disruptions for several days along the front line and over occupied territory. He said terminals moving faster than 161 kph (100 mph) lose their connection, which hampers interceptors chasing jet-powered drones.[5]
Starshield is SpaceX’s satellite network for government and national-security use, built on Starlink technology.[5]
SpaceX rejected the claim. “This is false. There has been no change,” the company told Axios, in a statement quoted by the Kyiv Independent. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry source told reporters Kyiv is seeking an explanation from the United States.[4]
The White House has not explained the reported slowdown.[1]
The talks
The strikes follow a week of U.S.-led diplomacy, including talks between U.S. envoys and Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Our Ukraine War Charts track the fighting, and more is on the Warfare page.
Sources
- The Guardian: Russia strikes hospital in central Kyiv after SpaceX system falters again
- Kyiv Independent: Russian attacks kill 9, injure 61 across Ukraine over past day, spark fire at Kyiv hospital
- Kyiv Independent: Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia, injures 30, including 6 children
- Kyiv Independent: Ukraine seeks explanation on Starshield speed restrictions from US
- CNBC: Ukraine warns of fresh Starshield disruptions as U.S. envoys arrive in Moscow for talks with Putin
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