October 17, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said it destroyed 37 Iranian-made Shahed-136s — known as "kamikaze" drones — overnight Sunday and on Monday. 

Russian forces struck Ukraine with a flurry of deadly "kamikaze" drone attacks early Monday.

The strikes, including the ones in Kyiv, were all launched from southern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Ukrainian forces said they hit 11 Shahed-136s in northern and central regions of the country.

Nine of the drones were shot down by anti-aircraft missile units and fighter aircraft by the Air Force while two were destroyed by the Land Forces, the statement added. 

Earlier, the Air Force said 26 drones were downed in the south of the country. 

Some context: Russia has ordered 2,400 "kamikaze" drones from Iran, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

They are capable of carrying precision-guided missiles and have a payload of approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds).

Drone attacks in the east of Ukraine had targeted crucial infrastructure, the Air Force said. 

Last week, Moscow launched a spate of fatal strikes targeting the Ukrainian electrical grid, leading to widespread power outages.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky struck a defiant tone on Monday after Russia launched dozens of drone attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv.

The Ukrainian capital was hit at least four times by "kamikaze" drones, with rescue workers pulling at least 18 survivors from the rubble, according to authorities. 

"All night and all morning, the enemy terrorizes the civilian population. Kamikaze drones and missiles are attacking all of Ukraine. A residential building was hit in Kyiv," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

The Ukrainian Air Force said it destroyed dozens of Iranian-made Shahed-136s — known as "kamikaze" drones — across the south and east of Ukraine in the early morning hours on Monday. It comes after Moscow fired hundreds of missiles at civilian targets in deadly attacks across Ukraine last week.

Eighteen people have been rescued and two people remain under the rubble at the site of a drone attack in Kyiv on Monday, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. 

Kyiv was hit at least four times in Russian "kamikaze" drone attacks on Monday, according to the city’s military administration. 

Klitschko said authorities are working to clarify if anyone was killed in the attacks.

Air raid sirens are off in Kyiv and the surrounding region as of 9:38 a.m local time, CNN's team on the ground reports.

A residential building was among the targets in at least four "kamikaze" drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital Monday, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked its allies to supply it with more air defense systems and ammunition after Russia stepped up its use of “kamikaze drones” in its brutal assault against the country.

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was hit at least four times in "kamikaze" drone attacks on Monday as of 9 a.m. local time, with strikes ongoing, according to the city’s military administration. 

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs, said the attacks are ongoing and a group of drones was approaching Kyiv from the south and east.

“Everyone stay in shelters!” Gerashchenko warned in a Telegram post.

Air raid sirens continue to be heard in Kyiv.

One strike Monday morning hit close to Kyiv’s main train station, Gerashchenko said.

Blasts continue to be heard in central Kyiv, where air raid sirens are sounding Monday.

Ukrainian officials said Monday that Russia is attacking the Ukrainian capital with "kamikaze" drones.

Russia attacked Kyiv with "kamikaze" drones on Monday morning, according to a top Ukrainian official, who repeated calls for Western allies to supply the country with more advanced air defense systems.

In a separate Telegram message, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the “drone attack” caused a “fire in a non-residential building.”

“Firefighters are working. Some residential buildings have been damaged. Medics are on the site,” Klitschko said.

At least three explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital at around 6:45 a.m. local time on Monday as a result of apparent Russian strikes, according to CNN's team on the ground.

At least three explosions were heard in Kyiv at around 6:45 a.m. local time on Monday as a result of apparent Russian missile strikes, according to CNN's team on the ground.

One of the blasts was in the Shevchenkivskyi district in the center of the Ukrainian capital, according to a Telegram post from Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Watch:

Relations between Ukraine and Saudi Arabia are the “most meaningful” they’ve been in 30 years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Sunday.

Zelensky’s remarks come after Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged $400 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine on Friday.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman affirmed the country’s support for Ukraine in a statement.

Grain deal: Zelensky also spoke about the Black Sea Grain Initiative, emphasizing that since July Ukraine has exported 8 million tons of food by sea.

He added that “60% of this volume was directed to Africa and Asia.”

Energy: He also addressed threats to Ukraine's energy supply, stating that “due to the Russian missile terror in some cities and regions of Ukraine, energy workers have to limit the supply of electricity so that the entire system works stably.” He called for Ukrainian residents to limit electricity supply during peak hours.

Prisoners: In addition, Zelensky spoke about Ukrainians who had been captured by Russian forces.