On the night of June 12, Ukraine faced a massive aerial threat. The Russian Federation launched a mass attack, deploying 117 strike unmanned aerial vehicles. The country's air defense forces repelled the strike, shooting down the vast majority of targets, however, cases of drones hitting objects on Ukrainian territory were recorded.
Information about the course of the air battle came from the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as reported by RBC-Ukraine. According to military data, the attack was carried out from several directions. Enemy drones launched from Russian regions — Orel, Kursk, and Millerovo, as well as from positions in occupied Crimea, specifically from the Chauda and Gvardiyskoye districts.
Variety of systems used
During the raid, the enemy used a wide range of unmanned systems. The attack involved strike drones of the "Shahed" type (including jet modifications), "Gerbera", and "Italmas". In addition, "Parody" type decoy drones were used to overload air defense systems and distract attention.
The defense of Ukraine's airspace was carried out by all available means: aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups. Own unmanned systems of the Defense Forces also participated in repelling the attack.
Results of the night battle
Preliminary data indicates that by 08:00 in the morning, Ukraine's air defense managed to shoot down or suppress 102 enemy drones of various types. Despite the high efficiency of the defense, 14 strike UAVs broke through and struck seven locations. The fall of debris from shot-down drones was also recorded in eight other areas.
The Air Force reported that the attack did not stop completely: several enemy drones remain in the airspace. The military urged citizens to follow safety rules and be extremely cautious.
Context of escalation
The current raid is a continuation of a series of active actions by Russian troops. Last night, on June 11, Ukraine was also attacked: the enemy used more than two hundred drones and launched "Iskander-M" missiles. During that period, air defense also shot down most targets, but it was not possible to avoid hits.
The offensive had particularly severe consequences for the Sumy region. In particular, the city of Konotop came under fire. As a result of the attack, the city was left without water supply and electricity. Unfortunately, the incident led to the death of one person and injuries to other civilians.