On the night of September 24, 2026, the Russian Armed Forces delivered one of the largest nighttime strikes on Ukrainian territory in recent times. According to a report by the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, cited by RBC-Ukraine, the enemy deployed anti-ship missiles (including, according to several media outlets, Zircon missiles), ballistic missiles, and 282 strike drones. The attack was carried out across virtually the entire country, and as of 08:00, air defense forces reported shooting down or suppressing 227 enemy targets.
Scale of the aerial attack
Preliminary data indicate that impacts from the enemy's aerial attack means were recorded at 13 locations, with debris from downed targets falling at another 10 locations. Such a wide geographic scope of the strike points to an attempt to simultaneously overload air defense systems and damage critical infrastructure in several regions. In particular, in Cherkasy Oblast, according to Censor.net, air defense destroyed 6 missiles and 21 drones, with an impact in the Uman district.
Performance of air defense
The key outcome of the night was the effectiveness of air defense: of the more than 280 declared targets, 227 were shot down or suppressed, representing the overwhelming majority. This confirms that the bulk of the drones and missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets. Nevertheless, some attack means broke through the defense, leading to real destruction and human casualties in certain cities.
Consequences in Kyiv
The capital found itself at the epicenter of the nighttime strike: drones and ballistic missiles were used against Kyiv, and several waves of explosions were heard in the city. Debris from downed targets fell in several districts of the capital. According to available data, there are fatalities and injuries among civilians — exact figures are being clarified at the time of preparing this material.
Strike on Odesa and other regions
Severe consequences were also recorded in Odesa: as a result of the attack, the roof and part of the top floor of a medical facility were damaged, and windows were shattered in ten nearby residential buildings and a school. Such localized strikes on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities and schools, again underscore the systematic nature of nighttime attacks on rear-area cities.
Contradictory data
Fact-checking revealed discrepancies in the figures between media outlets. RBC-Ukraine and the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces cite 282 drones and 227 downed targets, while "Korrespondent" in its headline refers to 141 downed targets — this is likely an interim estimate or data for a separate direction. In addition, the outlet "Fakty" mentions 161 drones (including 82 jet-powered) in its headline, however this publication refers to the previous night's attack — September 23 — and not to the current one. Thus, final summaries on the number of deployed and downed targets may be revised as data are clarified.
As of the morning of September 24, 2026, authorities and air defense forces continue to deal with the aftermath of the strike, and exact data on fatalities, injuries, and destruction in Kyiv, Odesa, and Cherkasy Oblast will be published additionally.
