Russian drone attacks kill 7 in Kyiv and its surroundings and hit energy facilities

(CNN) - Seven people were killed in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, and the surrounding area, as a result of intense Russian attacks with drones, according to local authorities.

Among the victims, three people were killed when a drone targeted the highway between Kiev and Odessa, causing a fire to break out between vehicles.

The Ukrainian army said that Russia used 165 “Shahed” drones in night attacks, including more than 100 drones powered by jet engines, which makes intercepting them more difficult.

Russia also continued its attacks on energy infrastructure in western Ukraine, with three energy facilities in the Ternopil region damaged.

DTEK, the largest private energy company in Ukraine, said that a Russian attack targeted three of its energy facilities in the Odessa region in the south of the country, which led to a power outage for about 30,000 people.

In light of the escalation of tension between Kiev and the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about a number of issues, including anti-ballistic missile interceptors and early warning systems for Russian missile attacks, in addition to “the issue of the ‘Starlink/Starshield’ system, which requires restoring its operation.”

Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials said last week that restrictions on the Starlink system were hampering Ukraine's use of its attack drones, and that the Ukrainian military had not received the usual warnings about incoming ballistic missiles.