Ukraine Destroys 38 of 42 Drones Launched Overnight by Russia

Ukraine said Wednesday it destroyed most of the 42 attack drones launched by Russia overnight, with damage reported in several regions across Ukraine.

The attack comes five days after the drone strike on an apartment block in Odesa early Saturday morning partially destroyed several floors, killing more than a dozen people under the rubble.

The attack killed five children, including two babies less than a year old.

"Overnight the Russian occupation forces attacked Ukraine with 5 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles and 42 Shahed attack drones."

"As a result of combat work, 38 "shaheds" were shot down within the Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia and Sumy regions," the Air Force reported on Telegram.

The attack, launched from multiple locations including the Krasnodar Territory, the Kursk Region, and annexed Crimea, targeted various regions across Ukraine.

The attack prompted a five-hour air alert, during which authorities in Sumy reported three explosions in the regional centre, resulting in damages to residential houses, though details remain unspecified.

One of the drones struck the middle of a courtyard situated between high-rise buildings, shattering apartment windows and causing damage to cars.

According to the head of the Sumy Military Administration, five people were injured in the incident, including one child.

Officials in the southern Odesa region said a recreational facility, a gas pipeline and residential buildings were damaged by debris from the downed drones.

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The Khmelnitsky Regional Military Administration reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted and shot down six Shahed-type UAVs within the Khmelnitsky region.

As a result of the attack, one infrastructure facility was damaged, leading to power outages in several localities. Additionally, one private residence sustained damage to its roof and ceiling.

Emergency services have been deployed, and all necessary responses are underway.

Such attacks by Russian forces have become a routine occurrence, with military analysts suggesting multiple objectives, including testing Ukraine's air defense capabilities and exerting pressure by depleting resources on drone interception.

Kyiv has appealed to its Western allies to help bolster its air defences to fend off systematic Russian aerial attacks on key infrastructure throughout the two-year invasion.