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Air Force: Ukraine downs all 35 attack drones launched by Russia overnight

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Air Force: Ukraine downs all 35 attack drones launched by Russia overnight
Fragments of the Iranian drone Shahed-136 (Russia named Geran 2), displayed in Kyiv on Aug. 24, 2023. (Illustrative purposes only) (Aleksandr Gusev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ukrainian air defenses shot down all of the 35 Shahed "kamikaze" drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported on Jan. 2.

The attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were reportedly launched from Cape Chauda in occupied Crimea and from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk district of Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

Around 15 Shaheds reportedly targeted Kyiv, before the city was targeted by missiles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian defenses downed six drones, Governor Serhii Lysak said. Falling debris reportedly damaged a power line in the Kryvyi Rih area, causing power outages.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, drone wreckage fell on a garage and caused a fire, which was promptly extinguished by emergency services, according to Governor Vitalli Kim.

The drone strike was followed several hours later by a mass missile strike that targeted Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing at least two people and injuring almost 70 others, local officials said.

Ukrainian air defenses downed over 60 Kh-101/555/55 cruise missiles and around ten Kinzhal missiles targeting the capital, said the head of the Kyiv city military administration, Serhii Popko.

Russia began to intensify attacks against Ukraine's cities and infrastructure in the winter months, mirroring its strategy from last year.

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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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