Russia thwarts 120 Ukrainian drones, US-supplied rocket in one day

The Russian Ministry of Defence has reported a significant air defence operation in which its forces successfully neutralized 120 fixed-wing drones belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces within a 24-hour period.

According to an official statement, Russian air defence units also intercepted a rocket fired from the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system during the same timeframe, Caliber.Az reports.

The Ministry emphasized the effectiveness of its air defence capabilities in countering a diverse array of threats.

“Air defence systems have intercepted a HIMARS multiple launch rocket system rocket of US manufacture and 120 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the Ministry declared, highlighting the scale and precision of the operation.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have incurred significant casualties and equipment losses amid intensified hostilities, with over 385 personnel reported killed, alongside the destruction of two infantry fighting vehicles, two automobiles, and two field artillery pieces.

According to official statements, units from the Russian-backed “Vostok” group have pressed forward, breaching deep into Ukrainian defensive lines. Their offensive operations targeted personnel and assets from two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defence brigade, and a National Guard brigade. These engagements occurred in key contested areas including Novogeorgievka and Berezovoe in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Temirivka and Olhivske in Zaporizhzhya region, as well as Iskra in the Donetsk.

Further reports indicate that Ukrainian forces suffered additional losses exceeding 215 personnel, alongside the destruction of one armored combat vehicle, seven automobiles, and an electronic warfare system.

By Vafa Guliyeva