Russia hammers Ukraine with missiles, drone swarm in overnight blitz PHOTO

Russia has launched a large-scale overnight aerial attack on Ukraine on February 17, deploying ballistic and cruise missiles alongside hundreds of strike drones, according to Ukrainian military officials.

Ukraine’s armed forces said the assault involved four Iskander-M ballistic missiles fired from Russia’s Rostov region, 20 Kh-101 cruise missiles launched from the Caspian Sea area, and four Iskander-K cruise missiles launched from Russia’s Kursk region.

In addition, 396 attack drones were used, including Shahed, Gerbera and Italmas types, among others.

Preliminary data released by Ukraine’s military indicated that air defence systems intercepted or suppressed 392 aerial targets by the morning of February 17.

These included all 20 Kh-101 cruise missiles, four Iskander-K cruise missiles, one Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile, and 367 drones.

Officials reported that four ballistic missiles and 18 strike drones hit targets across 13 locations. Debris from intercepted aerial objects was also recorded falling across eight separate locations.

The full extent of damage and potential casualties has not yet been disclosed.

By Aghakazim Guliyev