News Feed

Air Force: Ukraine downs 4 drones overnight

1 min read
Air Force: Ukraine downs 4 drones overnight
Illustrative purposes only: Remains of a Shahed 136/131 drone at an exhibition showing remains of missiles and drones that Russia used to attack Kyiv on May 12, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Oleksii Samsonov /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukraine shot down four Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on Feb. 18, the Air Force said in its morning update.

Russian forces mainly targeted Kharkiv Oblast in the latest attacks.

The drones were launched from Russia's Belgorod Oblast, which borders Sumy, Kharhiv, and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine.

Mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force are typically involved in repelling the air attacks.

Drone attacks are a daily occurrence in Ukraine, affecting various regions across the country. Overnight on Feb. 17, Ukraine’s air defense downed 12 Shahed drones, a Su-34 plane, and one Kh-59 missile.

Ukrainian authorities have continuously expected Russian attacks over the course of the winter, with Moscow focusing on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and other civilian sites.

Avatar
Dmytro Basmat

Senior News Editor

Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Read more
News Feed
Video

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines SpaceX’s move to curb Russia’s illegal use of Starlink satellite internet — a technology that has been vital to Ukraine’s defense since 2022.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized Ukraine for calling on the EU halt imports of cheap Russian energy. "Anyone who says this is an enemy of Hungary, so Ukraine is our enemy," he said at a rally on Feb. 7.

Show More