Russia Launches Record Drone Attack on Ukraine: Damage Report and Military Update

Russia Launches Record Drone Attack on Ukraine

Russia launched 188 drones in an unprecedented nighttime attack across Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force. Most of the drones were intercepted, but some apartment buildings and critical infrastructure, including parts of the national power grid, suffered damage. No immediate casualties were reported across the 17 targeted regions.

Since mid-year, Russia has intensified its drone, missile, and glide bomb attacks on Ukrainian civilian areas. Despite these assaults, Russia’s military has maintained the initiative on the battlefield, making significant gains, especially in the eastern Donetsk region.

Ukraine braces for a challenging winter as concerns rise about electricity supply reliability amid ongoing attacks. Questions also linger about U.S. support after the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in January.

The air raid alert in Kyiv and its surrounding region lasted over seven hours. Russia aims to demoralize civilians and reduce their resolve in the ongoing war, now nearly three years old.

On the Russian side, the Defense Ministry reported the destruction of 39 Ukrainian drones near the border. Meanwhile, combat has intensified along a 1,000-kilometer front line, particularly near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in Donetsk.

Ukraine faces a manpower shortage. Although Russian advances are slow, they pose a risk to crucial supply routes in Donetsk. According to analysts, Ukrainian defenses in the region remain secure, but Russia would need to gain over 8,000 square kilometers to achieve its goal of full control of Donetsk.

In other news, a Russian court has detained a British national identified as James Scott Rhys Anderson. He is fighting with Ukraine and was captured in the Kursk region. Details about the charges and his status as a prisoner of war remain unclear.

Stay updated on the Ukraine war by following AP’s coverage here.