Last night, from 6:00 PM on November 4 to the morning of November 5, Russia launched a massive aerial attack on Ukraine. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 128 unmanned aerial vehicles and two Kh-35 guided air-launched missiles were involved in the assault. Air defense systems, according to preliminary information, neutralized the majority of enemy targets; however, as of the time of publication, some attack drones remained in the air, and combat operations to repel the strike were ongoing.
Timeline and Composition of the Air Assault
According to the Air Force, the aerial attack began at 6:00 PM on November 4. The assault reportedly consisted of 128 drones, including jet-powered ones, as well as two Kh-35 guided missiles. This composition of targets determined the load on air defense systems throughout the night and required the simultaneous use of several branches of service and countermeasures.
Launch Directions
Drone and missile launches, as reported by the Air Force, were carried out from several directions: the Black Sea, as well as the territories of Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, temporarily occupied Donetsk, and Gvardeyskoye and Chauda in occupied Crimea. The multi-vector nature of the launches indicates an attempt to cover different parts of the airspace and overwhelm defensive systems.
Repelling the Attack
Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, drone system operators, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were deployed to repel the aerial assault. The combined use of these assets enabled the downing and suppression of a significant portion of the attacking targets, according to preliminary data.
Preliminary Results as of 08:00
As of 8:00 AM on November 5, air defense had reportedly downed and suppressed 105 enemy drones, including 48 jet-powered ones. At the time of publication, several attack drones were still in the air, and efforts to intercept them were ongoing. As emphasized in the report, final figures may be updated once the repulsion of the attack is completed.
Context: Attack on the Ryazan Oil Refinery
The night attack on Ukraine took place against a backdrop of ongoing strikes by the Defense Forces on objects within Russian territory. Reportedly, the Ryazan Oil Refinery was struck by the Defense Forces the day before, causing a massive fire at the plant. These events form the broader context of reciprocal strikes, within which the night attack on Ukrainian airspace, described in this publication, is unfolding.
