On the night of June 30, Ukraine faced one of the largest drone attacks in recent times. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) recorded a massive launch of strike drones and target decoys from multiple directions. According to RBC-Ukraine, the enemy deployed an unprecedented amount of equipment for a simultaneous strike on the country's territory.
Scale of the Air Threat
The attack began at 18:00 on June 29 and continued throughout the night. The enemy side deployed 154 units of lethal equipment. The arsenal of the attack included strike drones of the "Shahed", "Gerber", and "Italmas" types, as well as "Parody" decoy drones designed to overload air defense systems.
Air Defense Operations
All available forces were required to repel the air assault. Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces participated in the fight against threats. Own unmanned systems were also actively used to intercept targets.
According to preliminary data as of 08:30 in the morning, Ukrainian air defense successfully shot down or suppressed 138 enemy drones. The destruction of targets took place across the entire country: in the north, south, center, and east.
Consequences of the Attack
Despite the high efficiency of the defenders, breaches did occur. It was recorded that 13 strike drones hit 10 locations simultaneously. In addition, debris from downed aircraft fell on two other territories, creating a threat to infrastructure and the population.
The Air Force warned that the attack is ongoing and that hostile UAVs are still in the airspace. Citizens are advised to strictly follow safety rules and remain in shelters.
Strikes on Critical Infrastructure and Populated Areas
The enemy paid special attention to strikes on administrative and industrial facilities. In Zaporizhzhia on June 29, the regional state administration was attacked twice. As a result of the strikes, a fire broke out, which was subsequently localized. Fortunately, there were no casualties among the building's employees.
The most tragic consequences were recorded in Dnipro. On the morning of June 29, the enemy struck a private enterprise. As a result of the attack, at least five people were killed, and another 29 were injured of varying degrees of severity.