White House slams Russian drone attacks on Ukraine

The White House is condemning the latest attacks on Ukraine from Russia, where waves of explosives-laden suicide drones struck Ukraine's capital Monday, setting buildings ablaze and tearing a hole in one of them.

"The United States strongly condemns Russia's missile strikes today, which continue to demonstrate Putin's brutality," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday.

The concentrated use of the drones was the second barrage in as many weeks — after months in which air attacks had become a rarity in central Kyiv. The assault sowed terror and frayed nerves as blasts rocked the city. Energy facilities were struck and one drone largely collapsed a residential building, killing four people, authorities said.

Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration would continue to "vigorously" enforce U.S. sanctions on both the Russian and Iranian arms trade.

Intense, sustained bursts of gunfire rang out as the Iranian-made Shahed drones buzzed overhead, apparently from soldiers trying to destroy them. Others headed for shelter, nervously scanning the skies. But Ukraine has become grimly accustomed to attacks nearly eight months into the Russian invasion, and city life resumed as rescuers picked through debris.

Previous Russian airstrikes on Kyiv were mostly with missiles. Analysts believe the slower-moving Shahed drones can be programmed to accurately hit certain targets using GPS unless the system fails.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Monday's barrage came in successive waves of 28 drones — in what many fear could become a more common mode of attack as Russia seeks to avoid depleting its stockpiles of long-range precision missiles.

Iran has previously denied providing Russia with weapons, although its Revolutionary Guard chief has boasted of providing arms to the world's top powers, without elaborating.