Ukraine says Russia launched massive overnight aerial attack

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia launched a large-scale overnight aerial assault on critical infrastructure using 447 missiles and drones, most of which were intercepted by air defense forces, Ukraine’s air force claimed late Saturday.

In a statement on Telegram, the air force said the attack began at 7 pm local time (1700GMT) and involved air, ground and sea-launched missiles alongside strike unmanned aerial vehicles.

Air defenses, the statement said, shot down or suppressed 406 aerial targets, including 24 missiles and 382 drones of various types.

According to preliminary data, 13 missiles and 21 strike UAVs struck 19 locations, while debris from downed drones fell at three other sites.

The main directions of the attack were Ukraine’s western regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne and Vinnytsia, the statement said.

Russian authorities did not immediately comment and independent verification is difficult due to the ongoing conflict.