Russia fires missiles and drones at Ukraine — Air defense responds
Photo: Air defense shot down 69 drones and three missiles during the attack on Ukraine on May 31 (Getty Images)
On the night of May 31, Russian forces launched 114 drones and missiles at Ukraine. Some of the drones were jet-powered, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the night of May 31, the enemy launched a total of 114 air attack weapons. Specifically:
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107 Shahed-type attack UAVs and various types of decoy drones from the directions of Millerovo, Shatalovo, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Chauda (Crimea);
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2 jet-powered attack UAVs (unidentified type) from Belgorod region;
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2 S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles from Kursk region;
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3 Kh-59/69 guided air-to-surface missiles from the airspace over Belgorod region.
The main directions of the airstrike were Kharkiv, Sumy, and Donetsk regions.
How Ukraine’s air defense responded
The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units and drone systems, as well as mobile fire groups of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
"As of 8:30 a.m., air defense had neutralized 69 enemy Shahed-type UAVs (and other types of drones) and three Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missiles over the east, south, north, and center of the country," the military reported.
Of these, 42 were destroyed by firepower, and 30 were suppressed or lost via electronic warfare. Enemy air attack impacts were recorded at 13 locations.
Russia’s overnight attack on Ukraine
Around 1:00 a.m., Russian forces launched drones at Ukraine. Later it was confirmed that during the night of May 31, Russian troops also launched missile strikes on the Nedryhailiv community in Sumy region. One person was injured and infrastructure was damaged as a result of the attack.
Around 3:00 a.m., explosions were heard in Kharkiv. The city was targeted by enemy drones. The Russian attack caused fires in two districts of the city, and one person was injured in the Kyivskyi district.
