Ballistic missiles, Shaheds, Kalibrs, and Tu-95 bombers - Key details of Russia's massive attack on Ukraine
Photo: Residents were urged to take shelter (Getty Images)
Overnight on October 30, Russian forces launched another combined attack on Ukraine, deploying drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles against multiple cities.
RBC-Ukraine reports everything known so far about the ongoing assault.
Key questions
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Russian forces launched drone strikes, infrastructure was damaged in Chernihiv, and air defense systems were active in Kyiv.
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Ballistic missiles struck Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro.
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Cruise and aeroballistic missiles were launched from the sea and Russian aircraft.
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MiG-31K jets, capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, were airborne.
How Russia attacked Ukraine
Drone strikes
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, groups of Shahed attack drones began appearing in Ukraine’s airspace on the evening of October 29.
The first drones were detected at 5:04 PM Kyiv time over the Chernihiv region, later spreading to Sumy, Kharkiv, and other areas.
Around 11 PM Kyiv time, an attack on a critical infrastructure facility in central Chernihiv was reported. After midnight, drones headed toward Kyiv, where air defense systems engaged multiple targets.
Ballistic missile attacks
At 4:00 AM Kyiv time, the Ukrainian Air Force warned of a ballistic missile threat launched from Crimea.
Moments later, radar detected high-speed targets heading toward Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, followed by a series of explosions in both cities.
Zaporizhzhia regional governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed that the regional center was hit, saying a dormitory was struck, destroying several floors.
"Fires broke out in residential areas, and infrastructure sites were also damaged. Information about casualties is being clarified," he said, noting that the attack lasted several hours.
Before the ballistic strikes, the region had already come under drone attack.
Cruise and aeroballistic missile launches
Around 4:00 AM Kyiv time, monitoring channels reported that Russia launched Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukraine.
The missiles entered Ukrainian airspace, initially flying over the Kherson region toward Mykolaiv, before heading westward toward Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv regions.
By 5:00 AM Kyiv time, the Air Force urged Lviv residents to take shelter, and local media reported explosions in Ivano-Frankivsk.
That night, Russia also deployed Tu-95MS strategic bombers, which conducted launch maneuvers before the missile strikes.
At 4:56 AM Kyiv time, MiG-31K fighter jets, carriers of Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, took off from Russia. Missiles were reportedly launched toward the Vinnytsia region, with Kinzhal strikes later recorded near Ladyzhyn.
As of 5:30 AM Kyiv time, cruise missiles continued to be tracked across multiple regions of Ukraine, and a nationwide air raid alert remained in effect.
