Russia, Ukraine trade claims over massive overnight drone, missile attacks

The Russian Defense Ministry said air defense units intercepted and destroyed 251 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, including 62 over the Black Sea and five over the Azov Sea.

The ministry said the drones were downed across several regions, including Crimea, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, and near Moscow.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 762 strikes on 17 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region within the past 24 hours, killing one person and wounding 11.

“The enemy carried out six airstrikes and over 500 drone attacks on civilian areas,” said Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.

He added that 240 reports of destruction to homes, vehicles, and infrastructure were received.

In the Chernihiv region, authorities said Russian shelling hit an energy facility overnight, causing power outages.

“At night, the enemy shelled the Ichnyan region,” said regional energy operator Chernihivoblenergo, adding that an energy facility was hit.

In the southern Odessa region, regional governor Oleh Kiper said Russian “Shahed” drones attacked a civilian industrial facility, sparking a fire that was quickly extinguished. He added that there were no casualties.

Independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.