Ukraine downed 34 of the 35 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force said on Dec. 21.
Ukrainian authorities have warned that Russian attacks are expected to escalate during the winter, with Moscow focusing on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and other civilian sites.
The drones were launched from Russian-occupied Crimea, as well as the Krasnodar Krai district, and Kursk Oblast, located in Russia. The drones were then directed to different regions of Ukraine, according to the Air Force.
The drones were shot down over 12 oblasts in Ukraine, including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Kirovohrad oblasts.
Ukraine's Air Force said that the tactical aviation and anti-aircraft missile units, as well as mobile fire groups of the were involved in repelling the aerial attack.
Ukrainian officials have previously cautioned that Russia will launch a record number of drones against Ukraine. In late November, Ukraine defended itself from the largest attack on its territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, downing 74 of 75 Russian drones on Nov. 25.
Daria Shulzhenko
