Russia injures 18, kills 1 in its overnight attack across Ukraine

Ukraine’s air defense forces shot down 59 out of 116 drones during a night Russian attack.

The targets were downed over Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Sumy, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, and Poltava oblasts. 

Some 45 drones were lost, and about 10 are still in the air as of 10 am. The Russian army also attacked Ukraine with three missiles.

Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas in attempts to terrorize civilians and damage civilian infrastructure. While Russian leadership denies targeting civilians, Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these strikes as war crimes by the Russian Federation, emphasizing their deliberate nature.

In its massive and combined attack on Ukraine, the Russian military launched a drone attack on Kyiv in the early hours of 21 October, resulting in one injury and damage to residential buildings, according to reports from the Kyiv City Military Administration (KCMA).

At midnight, an air raid alert was issued in Kyiv, followed by “at least three series of explosions” throughout the night. 

The KCMA reported that debris from downed drones was recorded in the Dniprovsky district of Kyiv. There were reportedly no destruction or casualties.

Drone debris was also detected in the Holosiivsky district. The KCMA reported that “a multi-apartment residential building was partially damaged with walls and windows broken out without destruction and fire.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that in the Solomyansky district, “the roof of a private residential building caught fire due to falling debris.” The fire was contained, and one injured person received medical assistance.

A 5-story building in the village of Hlevakha in Kyiv Oblast was damaged by falling debris.  The State Emergency Service evacuated 43 residents of the building. No one was killed or injured. 

Rescuers have also eliminated the consequences of a missile attack on the port infrastructure in Odesa. A fire broke out there at night. No one was reportedly injured or killed, according to Governor Oleh Kiper.

Russian forces also injured one person in Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Suspilne Sumy reported that a Russian attack damaged an energy facility in the Romny district. Currently, all household consumers have electricity.

Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kryvyi Rih late on 20 October, injuring four people and causing damage to civilian infrastructure, local officials report.

Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s Defense Council, said that  Russian forces directed the missile at a densely populated area with multi-story buildings. 

Governor Serhiy Lysak said in the morning of 21 October that the number of injured had increased to four, including a 12-year-old girl. The other victims include a 22-year-old man and women aged 36 and 63.

The attack damaged a hotel, five apartment buildings, a cultural facility, a bank, two shops, and 14 vehicles, according to officials.

Russia also hit Osnovyansky and Kyiv districts in the city of Kharkiv on the evening of 20 October, injuring 13 people.

According to Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the regional prosecutor’s office, Russia attacked Kharkiv with four aviation munitions.

Russian troops launched Grom-E1 from an altitude of 12,000 meters, then about 100 km from the launch site to the impact site. Chubenko told Suspilne that debris also indicates using Grom-E1, “but time is needed to establish this.”

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 12 private houses were damaged in the Kyiv district, with one person injured. In the Osnovyansky district, a building was hit where no one was present, but nearby multi-story buildings suffered damage and broken windows.

Parts of the city lost electricity due to the attack. Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Regional Military Administration, said that energy workers are working to restore power supply.

The Kharkiv direction remains a critical front in the ongoing war due to its strategic location bordering Russia and its role as a potential launching point for further offensives.

Over the past day, the Russian military attacked Kharkiv 4 times, injuring 14 people in total, accoridng to Syniehubov.

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