Russian night-time attack: Air defence forces shot down 194 out of 211 enemy drones

Russian night-time attack: Air defence forces shot down 194 out of 211 enemy drones

At night and in the morning of March 16, Russia launched a new air attack on Ukraine: the enemy used 211 air attack means. Air defence forces neutralized 194 targets.

Hits were recorded at a number of locations. Details were reported by the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Course of the attack

The enemy began another attack around 18:00 on March 15.

During the night and morning of March 16, Russians attacked with 211 strike UAVs of the "Shahed", "Gerbera", "Italmas" types and other types of drones from the directions of Russian cities Oryol, Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, as well as from Gvardeyskoye in temporarily occupied Crimea.

In particular, about a hundred "Shaheds" were detected in the airspace of our state.

In this attack, the Air Forces noticed a certain feature: it was an atypical morning attack by the enemy using strike drones of various types in the direction of the Kyiv region.

"Main strike directions – Odesa, Zaporizhzhya, and Kyiv regions", – added the AF.

The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, EW units and unmanned systems, mobile fire groups of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.

According to preliminary data, as of 11:00, air defence shot down/suppressed 194 enemy UAVs of various types in the north, south, and east of the country.

16 strike UAV hits were recorded at 10 locations, as well as falls of downed (debris) at 11 locations.

"The attack continues, several enemy UAVs remain in the airspace. Follow safety rules!" – noted the AF of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What is known about the consequences of the attack

In Kharkiv region, Russian troops struck the town of Zolochiv with drones. From 04:00 to 04:20, three UAVs, likely of the "Geran" type, were launched at the settlement, reported the head of the Zolochiv Military Administration Viktor Kovalenko.

As a result of the hits, one residential building was completely destroyed, 13 more houses sustained partial damage. Windows were broken in two apartment buildings. A passenger car and power lines were also damaged.

No one was injured in the attack.

Enemy "Shaheds" flew to Kharkiv at night and in the morning. At night, at least two hits were recorded in the Kyiv district of the regional center. In the morning, one of the drones hit in the Shevchenkivskyi district, a 34-year-old man needed help due to an acute stress reaction. There, window glazing in three apartment buildings, a fence, and window glazing in an outbuilding were damaged.

Another hit was recorded on the border of the Kyiv and Shevchenkivskyi districts.

"Transport infrastructure was damaged. Regarding casualties – no information has been received yet", – stated regarding the second hit the mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov.

The head of the Odesa RMA Oleh Kiper reported that at night the enemy again massively attacked Odesa region with strike drones.

"Air defense forces shot down most of the enemy targets, but damage to civilian infrastructure was recorded", – he noted.

In particular, in the city of Chornomorsk, as a result of the attack, the facade and glazing of a kindergarten, as well as adjacent apartment buildings were damaged. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Zaporizhzhia was also under enemy drone strikes at night. In the regional center, as of 07:19, three injured were known: an 18-year-old boy and women aged 48 and 81.

"Rescuers extinguished fires in residential buildings at four adjacent addresses on a total area of 230 sq m. All emergency services of the city were working at the scene", – stated the State Emergency Service of Zaporizhzhya.

Russians struck Rozumivka in Zaporizhzhya region with an FPV drone. According to Zaporizhzhya police data, as a result of the hit, two men aged 36 and 56, as well as a 74-year-old woman, were injured.

In the morning, the occupiers again attacked the private sector of Zaporizhzhya with drones.

"Houses damaged: broken windows, destroyed roofs and facades. Currently, a woman is known to be injured. She is under medical supervision. Preliminary, people are still under the rubble. Search and rescue operation is ongoing", – reported Zaporizhzhya RMA at 10:40.

Ten minutes later, Fedorov informed: in the morning in Zaporizhzhya, a woman was killed, two more residents were injured, and a 16-year-old girl may be under the rubble.

Later, he reported that the minor, as well as another woman, were found by rescuers and handed over to medics. 

In Sumy, due to enemy UAV attacks, 4 households in the private sector of the city were damaged.

"The hit occurred this night. In four residential buildings located nearby, windows were broken, fences were destroyed. A private car was hit. People were not injured. Consequences are being eliminated", – said the head of Sumy RMA Serhiy Kryvosheyenko.

In Mykolaiv region, the regional center came under enemy strikes. The enemy hit Mykolaiv with "Shaheds".

"As a result of the night attack on the city, windows in an educational institution and an apartment building were damaged. No casualties", – said the head of Mykolaiv RMA Vitaliy Kim.

In Mykolaiv district, last night and during the day before, Russians attacked the Ochakiv community seven times with FPV drones. No casualties.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, Russians attacked settlements in two districts more than 10 times with artillery and drones.

In Nikopol region, they struck Nikopol, Marhanets and Pokrovsk communities. Houses were damaged. A 71-year-old woman was injured.

In Synelnykivka region, the enemy, according to the head of Dnipropetrovsk RMA Oleksandr Vilkul, hit Vasilivka and Petropavlivka communities. Private houses, outbuildings, and an agricultural firm were on fire.

In Kyiv, after the morning missile-drone strikes, the consequences of the attack were recorded in the Shevchenkivskyi district, there, according to preliminary information, there were no casualties.

"In the very center of the capital, debris from a UAV fell. No fires or casualties", – wrote Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klychko during the attack.

And in Solomianskyi district of the capital, parts of an enemy UAV fell on the territory of non-residential buildings.

In Sviatoshynskyi district, as a result of debris fall, grass caught fire on an open area.