On the night of August 28, 2026, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive strike on Ukraine, deploying 164 unmanned aerial vehicles, with launches beginning as early as the evening of August 27. According to data compiled by RBC-Ukraine, the attack also involved guided aerial bombs (KAB). Ukrainian air defense systems shot down the majority of aerial targets, however a number of strikes hit designated objects in the Sumy, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions, causing fires, destruction and human casualties.
Scale of the attack and air defense operations
According to the summary recorded on the night of August 28, the Russian side launched 164 drones, starting from the evening hours of August 27. As noted in the materials, the majority of aerial targets failed to reach their designated objects thanks to the work of Ukrainian air defense systems. Nevertheless, some strikes got through, as confirmed by the aftermath in several regions, where infrastructure and residential objects caught fire.
Strikes on 'Nova Poshta' facilities
The company 'Nova Poshta' reported the destruction of sorting centers in two regions. The terminal in Sumy was hit by Russian forces with four KABs, as a result of which three trucks were damaged. In the Kyiv region, a drone destroyed a sorting depot. The company emphasized that all employees are alive. In addition, in Sviatopetrivske of Bucha district, 'Nova Poshta' warehouse facilities and a nearby production site were hit. Head of the Bilohorodka hromada, Anton Ovsiienko, reported that during the fire suppression operation, two more strikes were delivered to the scene, while the rescuers managed to withdraw to a safe location.
Fire at 'Epitsentr' in Zaporizhzhia
In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone struck the 'Epitsentr' building hypermarket. Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, reported that as a result of the attack a fire of approximately two thousand square meters broke out. Four people were injured. In another part of Bucha district, State Emergency Service (SES) rescuers extinguished a fire in a warehouse building and 13 passenger cars; in a nearby apartment building, the shockwave shattered the windows. According to SES data, as a result of the attack four trucks and three semi-trailers caught fire, which the rescuers quickly extinguished; preliminarily, there are no dead or injured in this area.
Casualties in Kharkiv region
In Zmiiv, Russian forces attacked twice with loitering munitions (UAVs). One of the strikes hit a residential area, where two private houses caught fire. According to SES data, one person died, two more were injured, including a child. The fire area was 120 square meters. Thus, it was precisely in Kharkiv region that the only confirmed death as a result of the night attack was recorded.
Aftermath mitigation
State Emergency Service (SES) rescue units worked throughout the night and the morning of August 28 to extinguish fires at the damaged objects in the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions. In most cases, the fires were quickly contained, and the rescue personnel managed to withdraw to safe zones during repeated strikes. The final figures on destruction and possible additional casualties, according to preliminary data, may be updated as the on-site work is completed.
