Russia conducted its largest air attack against Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian authorities report. Overnight, Moscow unleashed an astounding 537 air weapons, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, on multiple Ukrainian regions, including remote western territories.
The air force of Ukraine reported they intercepted 249 of them, with another 226 being lost, presumably from electronic jamming. Spokesman for Ukraine’s air force Yuriy Ihnat called the attack the “most massive air strike” yet. Poland and NATO allies scrambled fighter jets to close off Polish airspace during the escalation.
The raids took lives throughout Ukraine, three civilians died in all, in the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, while others died in Kostyantynivka and Zaporizhzhia. A drone attack in Drohobych, Lviv region, set a huge blaze and destroyed electricity supply. Ukraine lost an F-16 fighter as well, which was allegedly shot down after receiving damage during the interception attempts.
Russia’s Defence Ministry reported it had destroyed three Ukrainian drones, and the governor of Bryansk confirmed another Ukrainian drone attack that injured two. Russia further reported it captured the village of Novoukrainka in Donetsk.
Russian intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin also revealed a recent telephone conversation with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, ensuring continued dialogue between the two nations’ intelligence services.
Despite the assault, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed willingness for peace negotiations in Istanbul. Earlier rounds of negotiations have yielded nothing. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on removing Ukraine from the Ottawa Treaty prohibiting anti-personnel landmines, saying Russia continues to use them and that realities of war prevail.