In the early hours of February 26, Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted a significant number of aerial threats during a large-scale attack by Russian forces. Reports indicate that 420 drones, including models such as Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas, were launched, alongside 39 missiles.
The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that its defense systems neutralized 374 drones and 32 missiles, mitigating the impact of the assault. This operation involved collaboration among aviation units, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare divisions, and mobile fire groups.
The types of munitions used in the attack included:
- 2 anti-ship missiles of the Zircon type;
- 11 ballistic missiles from the Iskander-M/S-400 series;
- 24 cruise missiles of the Kh-101 type;
- 2 guided aviation missiles of the Kh-69 type;
- 420 strike drones and various other UAVs.
As of 10:00 AM, preliminary data indicated that the air defense had downed two Zircon missiles, four Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 24 Kh-101 cruise missiles, two Kh-69 guided missiles, and 374 drones. However, the attack resulted in five ballistic missiles and 46 strike drones successfully hitting 32 locations, with debris falling in 15 areas.
Air raid alerts were issued across Kyiv and several other regions due to the threat posed by the incoming drones and ballistic missiles. Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. In Kyiv, damage occurred in multiple districts, while Kharkiv and its outskirts reported at least 16 injuries. Casualties were also reported in Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian air defense forces intercepted a large portion of Russian aerial attacks during a recent overnight assault, successfully neutralizing hundreds of drones and missiles. Despite these efforts, some projectiles did strike various locations, resulting in injuries and damage.