Russia unleashed its most extensive drone assault on Ukraine since the war began, with nearly 500 aerial attacks carried out, just one day after American officials had warned that such a large-scale response from Moscow was imminent.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russian troops launched 479 drones along with 20 missiles during the overnight offensive. The barrage marked a dramatic escalation in Moscow’s military operations.
Ukrainian defense forces intercepted and destroyed all but 19 of the drones and only one missile managed to evade their air defense systems, the air force reported in its statement Monday.
Despite Ukraine’s success in shooting down the majority of the incoming threats, a military airbase located in Dubno—roughly 40 miles from Poland’s border—sustained damage. Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force, confirmed to Reuters that this site had been the principal target of the Russian assault.
In response to the proximity of the strikes, Polish military jets, alongside aircraft from allied nations, were scrambled early Monday morning to secure the airspace of Poland, a NATO member. Poland’s armed forces issued a public statement outlining the precautionary action.
Russia’s Defense Ministry stated Monday that the intense offensive was a direct retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian military installations earlier in the month.
“All designated targets” were hit, the ministry declared in its official announcement.
{Matzav.com}