Ukrainian Air Defense Forces intercepted 27 out of 49 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during an overnight attack on 16 December, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The attack, launched from the Bryansk and Oryol oblasts in Russia, began at 01:00 am and involved primarily Shahed drones and other types of unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukrainian defense forces mounted a multi-layered response, combining anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare divisions, mobile fire groups from the Air Force and Defense Forces.
By 08:30 am, the Air Force confirmed shooting down 27 attack drones across six oblasts: Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. About 19 additional drones were prevented from reaching their intended targets, with three UAVs still remaining in the air.
Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Since October 2022, it has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with extensive missile and drone assaults, aiming to disrupt civilian life, particularly during the winter months.
Over the past day, the Kharkiv Oblast experienced multiple strikes. A missile strike in Kharkiv’s Kyiv district damaged a sports complex, breaking windows and doors, and injuring a 48-year-old woman. In Kupiansk district, a private house was damaged, and a 54-year-old woman was injured.
In the Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces attempted ten assault attempts near the settlements of Vysoka Yaruga, Tykhe, and Vovchansk. The Kupiansk direction saw four attacks, with Ukrainian forces repelling attempts near Zahryzove and Lozova.
The Kherson Oblast experienced extensive bombardment, with Russian forces targeting critical infrastructure and residential areas in numerous settlements. An intercity bus was also damaged, resulting in two people being wounded.
In the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a kamikaze drone struck the Myrivska community, with additional artillery shelling of Nikopol and Pokrovska community reported.
Read also:
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- Russian forces triple drone usage in push toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border, says Ukrainian military
