Russia launches 72 drones in overnight attack; none reach their targets

In the early hours of 2 January, Russian forces launched a massive drone assault on Ukraine, deploying 72 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including Shahed combat drones and other types.

Ukrainian air defenses successfully destroyed 47 drones, while 24 failed to reach their intended targets, and one remained airborne at the time of the report.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the drones were intercepted across multiple oblasts, including Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts. A statement from the Air Force emphasized the effectiveness of Ukraine’s defenses, which neutralized the threat without causing harm to infrastructure or civilian lives.

"As of 8:30 a.m., 47 Shahed and other drones have been confirmed destroyed. The remaining 24 decoys failed to locate targets," read the official update on Telegram.

The drones were launched from multiple directions, including Russia’s Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions. Ukrainian forces countered the assault with a comprehensive defense effort involving aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire teams from the Air Force and other Defense Forces.

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