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Ukrainian authorities have declared the commencement of mass production for a new locally engineered interceptor drone to enhance its air defences. The first three producers have started manufacturing, with 11 more getting ready to establish assembly lines, Ukrainian military officials announced on Friday.

'Octopus' Technology Tested in Battlefield Situations

These UAVs will be based on a domestically developed technology 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. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established an ambitious goal of manufacturing as many as 1,000 interceptors daily.

Latest Assault on Kyiv Characterized as Deliberate

Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine as “deliberate, calculated and wicked” following six individuals lost their lives and dozens wounded in a wave of night-time strikes throughout Kyiv. Alert systems activated in Kyiv just after 12 AM this past Friday, with Shahed drones soon heard overhead and heavy machine-gun fire from Ukrainian air defences.

Zelenskyy reported the nation was hit by hundreds of UAVs and multiple missiles. The deceased had been inside their residences in a block of flats on the capital's left bank during the strike. Dozens of other buildings sustained damage, including the Azerbaijani embassy.

International Protest Following Embassy Destruction

Azerbaijan said it issued a formal objection to Moscow's diplomatic representative this past Friday after the embassy damage. An explosion from a Russian Iskander missile destroyed part of the embassy’s perimeter wall and resulted in significant destruction to the embassy grounds, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry reported. There were no personnel injured, and an official representative said the diplomatic mission in Ukraine was continuing to operate.

Moscow's Aerial Bomb Manufacturing Sees Major Expansion

Russia intends to manufacture as many as 120,000 guided aerial bombs this year, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official disclosed, among them 500 of a new, extended-range model that can reach more towns and cities. Russian forces have been launching 200 to 250 aerial bombs daily, with the previous month's average daily usage being approximately 170, according to defence ministry data.

Kyiv's Attacks Target Moscow's Oil Facilities

Russia’s Black Sea port of the port city halted for a period oil exports on Friday – representing two percent of worldwide oil production – after a Ukrainian missile and drone attack. Ukraine’s general staff stated its forces had fired domestically produced missiles and used multiple kinds of attack UAVs in the assault against Novorossiysk “within the framework of efforts to diminish the strategic capabilities of the Russian aggressor.”

Ukraine separately struck an oil refinery in the Saratov area and a fuel storage facility in the adjacent Engels region overnight.

International Sanctions Affect Russian Oil Producer

The number two energy company Lukoil said on Friday it has been in talks with interested parties concerning its international holdings following last month’s sanctions from Western nations and failure of a deal with commodity trader Gunvor. “Final arrangements are to be disclosed after the final agreements are completed and the necessary regulatory approvals are secured,” the company commented.

Zelenskyy Plans Visit to Spain

The Ukrainian leader will visit the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Tuesday to meet with parliament members following his trip to France, the chamber of deputies disclosed. Zelenskyy would meet deputies from all houses of parliament throughout his stay, an official announcement confirmed.