Russia launches over 500 drones and missiles at Ukraine, air defense works
Photo: Russia launched over 500 drones and missiles at Ukraine (Getty Images)
On the night of September 3, Russian forces launched 502 drones and 24 missiles at Ukraine. Air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 451 aerial targets, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
According to the Ukrainian military, during the attack, radio engineering troops detected and tracked 526 aerial targets, including:
- 502 Shahed UAVs and decoy drones launched from Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, Oryol, Shatalovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia), and Chauda (temporarily occupied Crimea);
- 16 Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea;
- 8 Kh-101 cruise missiles from the Saratov region and Krasnodar Krai airspace.
Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups, and UAV systems of Ukraine’s Defense Forces repelled the attack.
According to preliminary data, as of 9:00 a.m. Kyiv time, air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 451 aerial targets, including:
- 430 Shahed UAVs and decoy drones;
- 14 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 7 Kh-101 cruise missiles.
"Three missiles and 69 attack drones hit 14 locations, with falling debris recorded at another 14 sites," the statement says.
The Air Force stressed that the attack was still ongoing, with several enemy UAVs remaining in Ukraine’s airspace. Ukrainian military urged citizens to stay in shelters and strictly follow safety rules.
Attack on Ukraine on September 3
Throughout the night of September 3, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian regions with drones and missiles. Due to damage to the railway infrastructure, more than 30 trains were delayed.
Air raid alerts sounded in many regions even before midnight: first, a massive drone raid was detected, and by morning, Russia had also launched cruise missiles.
Explosions were reported in the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Volyn, Lviv, Sumy, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
In Khmelnytskyi, the attack damaged residential buildings, an educational institution, municipal infrastructure, and more. Power supply and public transportation were also disrupted.
In Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region, air quality worsened after the night strike, prompting authorities to urge parents not to send children to schools or kindergartens.
For more details on the consequences of the Russian combined attack, read our material on the topic.
