Ukraine’s air force reported Russia launched a massive assault, deploying 479 drones against the country in what it described as the largest overnight drone bombardment of the war on Monday.
In addition to the drones, 20 missiles of varying types were directed toward different regions of Ukraine, primarily targeting central and western areas, according to the air force.
The Ukrainian air defenses claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles while in flight. They further stated that only 10 drones or missiles successfully reached their intended targets.
This claim could not be independently verified.
Russian aerial attacks typically commence in the late evening and continue into the morning, a pattern attributed to the increased difficulty in detecting drones during nighttime hours.
Throughout the conflict, which has now spanned over three years, Russia has consistently utilized Shahed drones to strike civilian areas in Ukraine. The United Nations estimates that these attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians.
Russia maintains that its strikes are exclusively targeted at military objectives.
