Russian drone strikes hit five locations across Ukraine overnight

Russian forces launched a wave of drone attacks against Ukraine overnight, striking five locations and causing widespread alerts across the country, Ukraine’s Air Force reported on July 18.

According to RBC-Ukraine, which cited the Ukrainian Air Force, a total of 35 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were deployed, including 29 Iranian-made Shahed drones and several decoy drones. The UAVs were launched from the directions of Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in southern Russia.

The primary targets were frontline territories in eastern Ukraine, though drone activity was also reported in the country’s north. Ukraine’s air defence systems successfully shot down 11 drones over northern and eastern regions, while another six were reportedly lost or neutralised through electronic warfare systems.

Despite these defensive efforts, 18 drones successfully hit targets across five unspecified locations, while debris from destroyed UAVs fell in at least two areas, causing concerns about damage and civilian safety.

By Vugar Khalilov