--- title: "Nighttime Russian Attack on Ukraine: Ballistic Missiles, Zircon, and 123 Drones — How Air Defense Repelled the Strike" description: "At night, Russia attacked Ukraine with ballistic and anti-ship missiles and 123 attack drones. Impacts were recorded at 17 locations; air defense repelled the attack, and some drones remained in the air." date: 2026-11-12T06:32:23.776Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nighttime-russian-attack-ukraine-missiles-drones tags: [ukraine-war, air-defense, drones, missiles, russia] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Nighttime Russian Attack on Ukraine: Ballistic Missiles, Zircon, and 123 Drones — How Air Defense Repelled the Strike ![Ukrainian serviceman carrying a man-portable air-defense system on his shoulder against a cloudy sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/12/noch-ataka-rf-po-ukraine-rakety-i-123-bpl/noch-ataka-rf-po-ukraine-rakety-i-123-bpl-1.webp) ## Key Points - Russia attacked Ukraine with Iskander-M, KN-23, S-400 ballistic missiles and Zircon anti-ship missiles from Bryansk, Voronezh, and Kursk oblasts. - 123 attack UAVs were launched, including 73 jet Shaheds, Gerberas, S8000s, and Parodiya decoys. - Impacts were recorded at 17 locations and wreckage from downed targets at 18 locations; some drones remained airborne. - Amid the strike, reports emerged that Italy exhausted its Aster reserves and Germany cannot supply additional Patriots. Last night, the Armed Forces of Russia launched a massive combined attack on Ukraine, deploying ballistic and anti-ship missiles, as well as a large wave of attack unmanned aerial vehicles of various types. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, missile launches were carried out from the territories of Russia's Bryansk, Voronezh, and Kursk oblasts, while drones were launched from the directions of Oryol, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Millerovo, as well as from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk Oblast and Crimea. The air defense response involved aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. ### Missile Component: Ballistics and the Anti-Ship Zircon According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the enemy used Iskander-M, KN-23, and S-400 ballistic missiles, as well as Zircon anti-ship missiles, as part of the missile element of the attack. The simultaneous use of multiple classes of ballistics combined with anti-ship weaponry indicates an attempt to overwhelm air defense channels while threatening targets in coastal and border regions. Exact launch points, according to the Ukrainian side, were located in the Bryansk, Voronezh, and Kursk oblasts of Russia. ### A Wave of 123 Drones In addition to missiles, Russia launched 123 attack drones. These included Shahed-type drones, among them 73 jet-powered ones, as well as Gerbera, S8000 Banderol/Dan-T, and Parodiya-type decoy drones. The presence of decoys in the attack is characteristic of a tactic designed to overwhelm countermeasures: false targets deplete anti-aircraft missiles and operator attention, creating conditions for combat vehicles to break through. The UAV attack directions covered both Russian territory (Oryol, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Millerovo) and the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk Oblast and Crimea. ### Repelling the Strike and Preliminary Losses According to preliminary data as of 08:00, Ukrainian air defense worked to shoot down and suppress means of air attack; at the time of publication, exact interception figures were still being clarified. At the same time, it was noted that several enemy attack drones remained in the air and continued to be destroyed. Impacts by enemy air attack weapons were recorded at 17 locations, and wreckage from intercepted targets was found at 18 locations. These data reflect both the efficiency of air defense and the real cost of a portion of the attacking assets breaking through. ### Context: Allied Air Defense Reserves The attack comes amid reports of a reduction in air defense supplies. Western media previously reported that Italy had exhausted its reserves of Aster anti-aircraft missiles for Ukraine. Furthermore, German authorities acknowledged they can no longer supply Ukraine with additional Patriot systems. Combined, these factors make each nighttime strike more dangerous and underscore the reliance of air defense effectiveness on the pace of ammunition replenishment by allies. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Все ракеты прорвались: как ПВО отражала ночную атаку РФ](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/usi-raketi-prorvalisya-k-ppo-vidbivala-nichnu-1794464651.html) - Primary source: preliminary data from the Ukrainian Air Force regarding the composition of missiles and UAVs, attack directions, impacts at 17 locations, and wreckage at 18. Specific interception figures are absent from the text. ## FAQ ### What missiles did Russia use in the nighttime attack? According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Iskander-M, KN-23, and S-400 ballistic missiles, as well as Zircon anti-ship missiles, were used. Launches were carried out from Russia's Bryansk, Voronezh, and Kursk oblasts. ### How many drones were launched and of what types? Russia launched 123 attack drones: Shaheds (including 73 jet-powered), Gerberas, S8000 Banderol/Dan-T, and Parodiya decoy drones. ### How many locations were affected? Impacts of air attack weapons were recorded at 17 locations, and wreckage from intercepted targets was found at 18 locations. ### What is known about allied air defense supplies? Western media reported that Italy has exhausted its reserves of Aster anti-aircraft missiles for Ukraine, and German authorities acknowledged the impossibility of supplying additional Patriot systems.