Ukraine repels Russian attack, downs 52 UAVs and drones

Dec 22, 2024

Kyiv [Ukraine], December 22 : The Ukrainian Air Force reported an attack by Russian forces, involving 103 Shahed drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), launched from multiple locations including Bryansk, Millerovo, and Berdyansk.
Ukraine's Defence Forces repelled much of the attack, downing 52 UAVs and drones across several regions.
In a post on the social media platform Telegram, the Ukrainian Air Force wrote, "The enemy attacked with 103 Shahed UAVs and drones of other types from the directions of Bryansk, Millerovo, Orel, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Berdyansk. The launch of an Iskander-M ballistic missile from Crimea towards the Kherson region was also recorded."
"The air attack was repelled by anti-aircraft missile troops, aviation, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defence Forces of Ukraine. It has been confirmed that 52 Shahed UAVs and drones of other types have been shot down in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhia regions," the post added.
However, the attack caused damage to private properties and civilian infrastructure in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv, though no casualties were initially reported.
"Due to the active countermeasures of the Defence Forces, 44 enemy drones-simulators were lost in location (without negative consequences), and one UAV flew towards Belarus. In Kherson, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions, private businesses, apartment buildings and property of citizens were damaged due to the Russian attack, initially without casualties, assistance is being provided to the victims," the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Earlier on Friday, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv left at least one person dead and 12 others injured, while several embassies sustained damage, according to Ukrainian authorities, CNN reported.
The Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed the casualties in a Telegram post, noting that five of the injured were hospitalised and others received treatment at the scene.