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Air Force: Ukraine downs all 13 Russian drones overnight

by Olena Goncharova and The Kyiv Independent news desk May 18, 2024 7:33 AM 1 min read

Illustrative image: Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the unit of the mobile air defense group shoot down enemy drones using the ZU-23-2 Soviet 23-mm twin anti-aircraft gun on April 16, 2024 in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukrainian air defenses downed all 13 Shahed-type attack drones launched during a Russian attack overnight on May 18, according to Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk.

The drones were reportedly launched from the Russian port town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, located on the coast of the Sea of Azov, and from Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Missile units of Ukraine's Armed Forces, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force intercepted the drones over Kharkiv, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, Air Force said in its morning update.

Drone attacks are a daily occurrence in Ukraine, affecting various regions across the country. In recent months, Russia has intensified attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, launching massive drone and missile strikes targeting critical facilities.

Ukraine introduced restrictions on energy supply across the country due to a "significant power shortage."

Authors: Olena Goncharova, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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