Ukraine successfully repels Russian night attack with F-16s and interceptor drones
Photo: Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Getty Images)
On the night of August 30, as Russia launched another attack on Ukraine, interceptor drones successfully shot down targets alongside F-16 fighter jets, reports Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
"Today, the interceptor drones performed quite well. We won’t say where or how many, but they worked effectively. Both the F-16s and other aircraft, as well as the interceptor drones, did well," Ihnat said.
He added that the drones are becoming increasingly effective on the battlefield.
Ihnat also highlighted that the development and modernization of Ukraine's weapons continues without pause. This includes not only technical upgrades and scaling up production but also creating new units and recruiting specialists.
Russian overnight attack and Ukraine's interceptor drones
On the night of August 30, Russia launched 537 drones and 45 missiles of various types across Ukraine. By 9 AM Kyiv time, Ukraine's air defense had shot down or suppressed 548 Russian aerial targets, including 510 drones, six ballistic missiles, and 32 cruise missiles.
Several regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Lutsk, and Dnipro. Zaporizhzhia suffered the heaviest damage, with dozens of people injured, fires breaking out, and homes damaged or destroyed. For more details on the aftermath, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
In response to the attacks and the growing capabilities of Russian Shahed drones, Ukraine has begun deploying interceptor drones more widely. Just over a month ago, Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had signed four contracts worth more than 3 billion hryvnias for the supply of interceptor drones.
