Ukraine downs over 1,100 Russian drones in October amid intensified attacks

In October, Russian occupiers used 2,023 attack drones of the Shahed type and unidentified drones against civilian and military targets in Ukraine.

Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas in attempts to terrorize civilians and damage civilian infrastructure. The Russian forces launch dozens of Shahed long-range “kamikaze” drones – usually Iranian-designed Shahed 131 or 136 – every night, often also launching several missiles during the attack.

According to a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 1,185 of these drones were destroyed or suppressed by Ukrainian defenders, 738 were lost, and 29 drones exited Ukraine’s controlled airspace.

“Since the beginning of 2024, the enemy has launched 6,987 attack drones against Ukrainian territory,” the statement noted.

The General Staff added that the enemy drones primarily targeted civilian and critical infrastructure in Ukraine.

“Anti-aircraft missile forces, aviation, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups continue to protect Ukraine’s skies around the clock,” said Ukrainian military authorities.

On 3 November, Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying 96 Shahed drones and one missile, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting the majority of targets.

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According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the Russians launched guided aviation missile Kh-59/69 from Kursk Oblast’s airspace and 96 attack drones from Bryansk, Kursk, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. By 09:00, air defenses had confirmed downing one missile and 66 enemy drones across Kyiv, Sumy, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts.

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