In the early hours of June 17, Ukrainian air defenses faced a significant assault from Russia, involving 119 strike drones. While most of the hostile drones were successfully intercepted, some managed to hit their targets.
The attack included various types of drones, such as Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and imitation drones like Parody, launched from multiple locations including Bryansk, Kursk, Millerovo, Orel in Russia, and Chauda in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian defense forces employed a combination of aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups to counter the aerial threat. By 8:00 AM, preliminary reports indicated that 97 enemy drones had been shot down or suppressed across northern, southern, and eastern regions of Ukraine.
Despite the high interception rate, 20 strike drones successfully impacted 11 locations, with debris from the downed drones falling in six areas. The Ukrainian Air Forces issued a warning, stating, “The attack is ongoing; several hostile drones remain in the airspace. Please adhere to safety protocols!”
On June 17, Ukraine's air defense intercepted a majority of a large-scale drone attack from Russia, mitigating potential damage. However, several drones still managed to strike various locations across the country.