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Shelling of Ukraine on January 5: All about night drone attacks

Shelling of Ukraine on January 5: All about night drone attacks RBC-Ukraine collage
Author: Maria Kholina

On the evening of January 4 and throughout the night into January 5, the Russian military once again deployed kamikaze drones over Ukraine. Air defenses were active in multiple regions, but there were confirmed hits unfortunately.

Details on the aftermath of the night attacks are outlined in the following report by RBC-Ukraine.

Sources used for this report include: Telegram channels of the heads of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Serhii Lysak; the Council of Defense of Kryvyi Rih, Oleksandr Vilkul, and the head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, Ihor Taburets; statements from the spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, Nataliia Humeniuk, and the spokesperson for the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat; Information from Telegram channels of the Ukrainian Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Joint Forces Command of the Arme

Two waves of attacks

The launch of Shahed drones by the Russians became known last night. They were moving from the southeast and north directions.

According to the spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, Nataliia Humeniuk, there were two waves of attacks during the night. The occupiers launched the second wave towards dawn from the same direction. The spokesperson for the Air Forces specified that the drones flew along the border with Moldova. The exact number of drones launched by Russia was not disclosed, but it was mentioned as several dozen.

According to Humeniuk, the anti-air defense system successfully shot down at least 10 Shaheds, but there were hits. Meanwhile, the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine state that they managed to bring down 6 drones during the night and morning in the northern part of Ukraine, with 4 of them destroyed by mobile fire groups.

Air defense systems' operation and the consequences of attacks

Dnipropetrovsk region: It is reported that 6 kamikaze drones were shot down in the region, all in the Kryvyi Rih district. Fragments of the downed drone fell on the territory of a non-functioning enterprise. No casualties.

Cherkasy region: 5 Shahed drones were destroyed. No one was harmed in the combat operations, but the fall of debris damaged power lines, leaving three settlements without electricity and two partially affected.

Kherson region: 4 Shaheds were shot down in the region. Three Shaheds targeted the village of Vysoke. Administrative buildings and a container settlement were hit. At least seven people were injured, including a 14-year-old teenager. A 50-year-old man was hospitalized.

Mykolaiv region: The air defense system was active in the region. A kamikaze drone hit the territory of an agricultural enterprise in the Bashtansky district, but the consequences were promptly eliminated. A kindergarten, a cultural center, and private houses were also damaged, but there were no casualties.

Recent enemy attacks

On December 29, the Russians launched 158 missiles of various types and kamikaze drones at Ukraine. Air defense forces shot down 27 Shaheds and 87 cruise missiles Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55. The Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Lviv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions were hit.

On January 2, the occupiers repeated a large-scale shelling. Initially, the Russians released 35 kamikaze drones, all of which were shot down. Subsequently, 99 missiles of various types, including aeroballistic Kinzhals, were launched across Ukraine.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, reported that air defense forces shot down 72 missiles, including all 10 Kinzhals.

British intelligence believes that the Russians have shifted their approach to mass attacks. The enemy now focuses more on hitting defensive targets rather than energy infrastructure.