Ukraine downs 138 drones in massive overnight Russian assault

Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine on May 28, deploying a Kinzhal aeroballistic missile and 147 attack drones of various types,  the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Ukrainian military officials said the Kinzhal missile was launched from airspace over Russia’s Lipetsk region. The attack also involved Shahed, Gerbera and Ilmas drones, along with other unmanned aerial vehicles launched from the directions of Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and temporarily occupied Crimea.

Ukraine’s response to the attack involved aviation units, air defence missile forces, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups, the Air Force said.

According to preliminary data released on May 27 morning, Ukrainian air defences shot down or suppressed 138 drones during the assault.

At the same time, authorities confirmed that one Kinzhal missile and nine drones struck targets across seven locations. Falling debris from intercepted aerial targets was also recorded at six separate sites.

By Vafa Guliyeva