Russia Launches Massive Combined Air Assault with Nearly 500 Drones and 74 Missiles
Ukraine’s Air Force says Russia carried out one of the largest combined air attacks of the war, launching 496 aerial weapons, including attack drones, decoy drones, and missiles, in a coordinated overnight assault.
According to Ukrainian officials, the attack included 496 drones—among them Shahed kamikaze drones, Gerbera drones, and decoy UAVs—alongside 74 missiles of various types.
The missile barrage reportedly consisted of Kh-101 cruise missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, and four Tsirkon hypersonic anti-ship missiles, highlighting Russia’s use of multiple weapon systems in a single operation designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
Ukraine says its air defense network intercepted 476 drones and 48 missiles, but acknowledged that several ballistic missiles and drones penetrated the defensive shield and struck their intended targets.
The latest attack underscores Russia’s continued use of large-scale, multi-layered strike packages combining drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons to pressure Ukraine’s air defense network.
