Overnight between September 15 – 16, Ukrainian air defences successfully repelled a large-scale drone attack launched by Russian forces. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 53 out of 56 Shahed-131/136 “kamikaze” drones were intercepted during the assault, which primarily targeted Kyiv Oblast. The attack, which lasted from 20:00 on September 15 to 06:00 on September 16, saw the remaining three drones disappear from radar, which are believed to have crashed.
The drones were launched from Kursk and Yeysk in Russia, with air defence systems activated across nine Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk. Air raid alerts were also issued in several other regions as drones passed through or aerial threats, such as bombs or missiles, were detected.
The defence response was coordinated by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of Ukraine’s Air Force and Defence Forces.
Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, reported that this was the eighth significant night attack on Kyiv since early September. Around 20 drones were destroyed near the capital, which were approaching from various directions. While there were no casualties reported within Kyiv, the Kyiv Oblast police documented damage to homes and vehicles, and one person sustained injuries.
In Cherkasy Oblast, Governor Ihor Taburets noted that the region was under alert for almost eight hours as drones changed routes. Nine drones were neutralised in the area, with no casualties or infrastructure damage reported.
In addition to the drone attack, Russian forces also targeted northern border regions with KAB guided bombs. Sumy Oblast endured 13 bomb attacks and 25 explosions in areas such as Khotinska and Velykopysarivska, with artillery shelling and FPV drone strikes also reported.
Meanwhile, in Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian bomb strike on a residential block resulted in one civilian death and 43 injuries, including four children. Russian shelling in Izium further injured a 76-year-old woman.
This latest wave of attacks highlights the persistent threats Ukraine continues to face from Russian aerial assaults.
Post Image Credit: Ukrainska Pravda
