In the night of October 27, 2026, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine, using ballistic missiles and 280 strike drones. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to preliminary data as of 09:00, Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 257 air targets, with Kyiv being the main direction of the attack. At the time of publication, the combat work of the air defense was still ongoing: several strike drones remained in the air.

Scale and nature of the strike

According to the Air Force, during the night attack, Russian forces used Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles launched from the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation, as well as 280 strike drones. The air raid included Shahed drones, including 69 jet-powered ones, Gerbera-type devices, and Parody-type decoy drones. The main vector of the strike, according to the agency, was directed at Kyiv, where, as the Air Force recalls, Russian troops twice struck with ballistic missiles.

Drone launch directions

Drones were launched from several directions within Russian territory — from the areas of Orel, Millerovo, Kursk, Shatalovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Additionally, they were recorded from temporarily occupied Donetsk and Gvardeyskoe in Crimea. Such a geography of launches, according to the agency, indicates a distributed frontline attack aimed at overwhelming air defense systems.

Air defense performance and preliminary results

The repulsion of the air attack was ensured by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, as well as mobile firing groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. According to preliminary data as of 09:00 on October 27, air defense shot down or suppressed 257 air targets. Despite the defense efforts, the consequences of the attack were recorded at dozens of locations: impacts of air attack means occurred at 25 locations, while the fall of downed targets and their wreckage was recorded at another 16.

Consequences in Kyiv

One of the ballistic missiles hit the South Bridge, damaging ground-level metro infrastructure. In addition, a missile struck an administrative building in the Podilskyi district. Due to the shelling consequences, train traffic on the green metro line was restricted to the section between Syrets and Vydubychi stations. Bus routes No. 22 and No. 91 were also rerouted via the Darnytskyi Bridge.

What is known at the time of publication

The Air Force emphasizes that the data is preliminary: at the time of publication, several strike drones were still in the air, and combat operations to counter them were ongoing. Final figures on the number of downed targets and strike consequences, according to the agency's logic, may be updated after the completion of the repelling operation.