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Ukrainian authorities have declared the start of mass production for a new locally engineered interceptor drone to strengthen its aerial protection systems. Three initial producers have begun production, with 11 more getting ready to establish assembly lines, Ukrainian military officials stated on Friday.

'Octopus' Technology Proven in Battlefield Situations

These UAVs will be based on a nationally created system known as “Octopus” engineered to neutralize Iranian-made drones. The system underwent testing in actual battle and demonstrated successful “at night, under jamming and at low altitudes,” officials confirmed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set a target of manufacturing as many as 1,000 defensive drones daily.

Recent Attack on Kyiv Characterized as Calculated

The Ukrainian president characterized Russia’s latest attack against Ukraine as “intentional, calculated and wicked” following six individuals lost their lives and many others injured in a series of night-time strikes throughout Kyiv. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv shortly after midnight on Friday, with Shahed drones quickly heard overhead and heavy machine-gun fire from Ukrainian air defences.

The president stated the nation was hit by 430 drones and 18 missiles. Those killed had been at home in an apartment building on the capital's left bank when it was hit. Dozens of additional structures were damaged, including the diplomatic mission of Azerbaijan.

Diplomatic Protest After Embassy Damage

The Azerbaijani government announced it delivered a formal objection to the Russian ambassador on Friday after the embassy damage. An explosion from a Russian Iskander missile destroyed part of the compound's boundary wall and caused serious damage to the embassy grounds, officials from Baku reported. There were no personnel injured, and an official representative confirmed the Kyiv embassy was continuing to operate.

Russian Glide Bomb Production Experiences Major Expansion

Russia plans to manufacture up to 120,000 guided aerial bombs this year, a high-ranking Ukrainian defense official said, including 500 of an innovative, longer-range version that can reach additional urban centers. Moscow's military were firing hundreds of glide bombs per day, with the previous month's daily average standing at about 170, based on defence ministry data.

Ukrainian Strikes Focus on Russian Oil Facilities

Moscow's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk temporarily suspended crude shipments this past Friday – equivalent to two percent of worldwide oil production – after a strike by Ukrainian forces. Military commanders in Kyiv said its military had fired domestically produced missiles and deployed multiple kinds of strike drones in the attack on Novorossiysk “as part of operations to diminish the military and economic potential of the invading force.”

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

International Restrictions Affect Moscow's Energy Company

Russia’s second-largest energy company Lukoil announced on Friday it has been in talks with interested parties regarding its international holdings following recent restrictions from Western nations and the collapse of a deal with commodity trader Gunvor. “Final arrangements are to be disclosed once conclusive negotiations have been reached and required authorizations are secured,” the company stated.

Ukrainian President Schedules Visit to Spanish Capital

The Ukrainian leader is scheduled to travel to the city of Madrid, Madrid, on Tuesday to confer with parliament members a day after his visit to Paris, Spanish parliamentary officials announced. The Ukrainian president would meet representatives from both chambers of parliament throughout his stay, the Spanish statement said.