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Air Force: Ukraine downs 23 Russian attack drones overnight

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A high-rise building in Kyiv damaged by the fallen debris of a shot down Shahed drone, launched by Russia on Aug. 2, 2023
A high-rise building in Kyiv damaged by the fallen debris of a shot down Shahed drone, launched by Russia on Aug. 2, 2023. (Source: State Emergency Service/Telegram)

Ukrainian forces shot down 23 Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported on Aug. 2.

Russian forces launched the Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from three directions – Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk on the territory of the Russian Federation, and Chauda on occupied Crimea, the report said.

According to the Air Force, most of the Shaheds were shot down over Kyiv and Odesa oblasts.

Officials in Ukraine's capital said that Russia targeted the city of Kyiv with drones around 2:20 a.m.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that debris from a drone fell in the Solomianskyi district, damaging a non-residential building, and Sviatoshynskyi district. An explosion was also reported in the Holosiivskyi district. No casualties have been reported.

According to the Kyiv City Military Administration, all the drones launched against the capital – more than 10 – have been shot down.

The Air Force reported that some drones managed to hit their targets in Odesa Oblast. According to the oblast's Governor Oleh Kiper, Russian attacks targeted port and industrial infrastructure in the south, starting a fire and damaging a grain elevator.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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