Ukraine's air force reported thwarting one of Russia's most extensive long-range drone assaults of the conflict overnight, successfully downing all 89 drones aimed at Kyiv, its surrounding areas, and other regions in the early hours of Wednesday.
This attack, occurring over 29 months into Russia's full-scale invasion, focused heavily on Kyiv and its vicinity, where local officials confirmed the destruction of over 40 drones. An air raid warning persisted throughout the night. The capital's military administration noted that while no civilian or critical infrastructure was directly hit, debris from the drones caused damage to the roofs, windows, and facades of 13 private homes in the area.
The air force identified the drones as Shahed-131/136 models, stating this to be one of the largest uses of such drones by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine. A military intelligence spokesperson revealed to Reuters last week that Russia has begun deploying new, low-cost drones, some equipped with cameras, to record the locations of Ukraine's air defenses and the outcomes of their strikes, while others serve as decoys.
Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, mentioned that this was the seventh drone attack on the city in July. Approximately 11,500 residents sought refuge in metro stations during the night as the drones attacked in multiple waves from various directions. Additionally, the air force intercepted a Kh-59 missile targeting the southern region of Mykolaiv, with no reported damage as of Wednesday morning.
There has been no immediate response from Russia. Air raid alerts were issued for Kyiv and most of central and eastern Ukraine starting from 2000 GMT on Tuesday. Popko detailed that air defense systems were activated multiple times around Kyiv and its outskirts throughout the night. Reuters reporters documented numerous explosions, indicative of air defense systems engaging incoming targets.
