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Ukraine has announced the commencement of large-scale manufacturing for a new domestically developed interceptor drone to strengthen its aerial protection systems. The first three manufacturers have started production, with an additional eleven getting ready to set up production lines, Ukrainian military officials stated on Friday.

Advanced 'Octopus' System Tested in Battlefield Conditions

These UAVs utilize a domestically developed system known as “Octopus” designed to intercept Shahed drones. The system has been tested in actual battle and proved successful “at night, amid electronic warfare and flying low,” the ministry stated. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set an ambitious goal of manufacturing as many as 1,000 interceptors each day.

Recent Attack on the Capital Described as Calculated

The Ukrainian president described Moscow's most recent assault against Ukraine as “deliberate, premeditated and wicked” following six individuals lost their lives and many others injured in a series of nocturnal attacks throughout Kyiv. Alert systems sounded in Kyiv shortly after 12 AM this past Friday, with enemy UAVs soon detected overhead and heavy machine-gun fire from Ukraine's aerial protection units.

Zelenskyy stated the nation was targeted by hundreds of UAVs and 18 missiles. The deceased had been at home in an apartment building on the capital's left bank when it was hit. Dozens of other buildings sustained damage, including the diplomatic mission of Azerbaijan.

International Protest Following Diplomatic Compound Damage

Azerbaijan announced it delivered a formal objection to the Russian ambassador on Friday after the destruction at its diplomatic compound. The blast from a Russian Iskander missile demolished a section of the compound's boundary wall and caused significant destruction to the diplomatic compound, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry reported. There were no personnel injured, and an official representative confirmed the diplomatic mission in Ukraine was maintaining operations.

Moscow's Glide Bomb Production Sees Significant Increase

Russia plans to produce up to 120,000 glide bombs in the current year, a high-ranking Ukrainian defense official said, among them 500 of a new, longer-range version that can reach more towns and cities. Moscow's military have been launching hundreds of glide bombs daily, with last month’s average daily usage standing at about 170, based on defence ministry data.

Ukrainian Strikes Focus on Russian Oil Facilities

Moscow's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk halted for a period crude shipments on Friday – equivalent to two percent of worldwide oil production – after a Ukrainian missile and drone attack. Ukraine’s general staff said its forces had fired domestically produced missiles and used multiple kinds of strike drones in the assault against Novorossiysk “as part of operations to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor.”

Ukrainian forces additionally struck a processing plant in the Saratov area and a fuel storage facility in nearby Engels during the night.

Global Sanctions Affect Russian Energy Company

The number two oil producer Lukoil announced on Friday it has been in talks with potential buyers concerning its foreign assets following recent restrictions from Western nations and the collapse of an agreement with commodity trader Gunvor. “The specific deal are to be disclosed once conclusive negotiations are completed and the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained,” the company commented.

Zelenskyy Plans Visit to Spain

The Ukrainian leader is scheduled to travel to the Spanish capital, the Spanish capital, on Tuesday to confer with parliament members following his trip to France, Spanish parliamentary officials disclosed. The Ukrainian president would meet deputies from both chambers of parliament throughout his stay, an official announcement said.