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Ukrainian authorities have declared the commencement of mass production for an innovative domestically developed interceptor drone to enhance its air defences. Three initial manufacturers have begun production, with an additional eleven getting ready to establish assembly lines, Ukrainian military officials announced on Friday.

'Octopus' Technology Tested in Battlefield Conditions

These UAVs will be based on a domestically developed technology known as “Octopus” designed to neutralize Iranian-made drones. This technology underwent testing in actual battle and demonstrated successful “at night, amid electronic warfare and at low altitudes,” the ministry confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established a target of producing up to 1,000 interceptors daily.

Latest Assault on Kyiv Described as Deliberate

Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized Moscow's most recent assault against Ukraine as “deliberate, calculated and wicked” after six people were killed and dozens injured in a wave of nocturnal attacks throughout Kyiv. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv shortly after midnight this past Friday, with enemy UAVs quickly detected overhead and intensive defensive fire from Ukrainian air defences.

The president reported the nation was targeted by hundreds of UAVs and 18 missiles. Those killed had been inside their residences in an apartment building on the capital's left bank when it was hit. Numerous of other buildings sustained damage, including the Azerbaijani embassy.

Diplomatic Objection Following Embassy Destruction

Azerbaijan announced it delivered a strong protest to the Russian ambassador on Friday after the embassy damage. The blast from a Russian Iskander missile destroyed part of the embassy’s perimeter wall and caused serious damage to the embassy grounds, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry stated. No one injured, and a ministry spokesperson said the diplomatic mission in Ukraine was maintaining operations.

Moscow's Aerial Bomb Production Experiences Major Expansion

Russia plans to manufacture as many as 120,000 glide bombs this year, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official said, among them 500 of an innovative, extended-range model that can reach additional urban centers. Russian forces have been launching 200 to 250 glide bombs per day, with the previous month's daily average being about 170, according to official military statistics.

Ukrainian Attacks Target Russian Oil Facilities

Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk halted for a period oil exports this past Friday – representing two percent of global supply – following a Ukrainian missile and drone attack. Ukraine’s general staff said its military had launched Neptune cruise missiles and deployed various types of attack UAVs in the attack on Novorossiysk “as part of operations to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor.”

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

Global Restrictions Affect Russian Oil Producer

Russia’s second-largest energy company Lukoil said this past Friday it has been in talks with potential buyers concerning its international holdings after last month’s restrictions from Western nations and the collapse of a deal with the Gunvor trading house. “The specific deal are to be disclosed after the final agreements are completed and the necessary regulatory approvals are secured,” the company commented.

Zelenskyy Schedules Diplomatic Trip to Spanish Capital

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to travel to the city of Madrid, the Spanish capital, next Tuesday to meet with parliament members a day after his trip to France, the chamber of deputies disclosed. The Ukrainian president will convene with representatives from all houses of parliament throughout his stay, the Spanish statement said.