Russia Unleashes Record Aerial Assault on Ukraine, Escalating War

Overnight, Russia launched a significant aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying a record number of drones and missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 728 Shahed drones and decoys, along with 13 missiles, were fired. This attack represents a further escalation in the ongoing conflict, following intensified Russian aerial and ground offensives.

The city of Lutsk, located in northwestern Ukraine near the borders of Poland and Belarus, was the most severely affected. However, ten other regions also experienced strikes, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Lutsk is strategically important due to its airfields, which are used by the Ukrainian military. These airfields and depots in western Ukraine are vital for receiving foreign military aid, which is then distributed to other parts of the country. Russia has been increasingly targeting these supply routes with long-range attacks.

Russia has recently been attempting to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses by launching large-scale aerial attacks, including the use of decoy drones. The latest assault followed a pattern of escalating attacks, with the previous largest occurring just days prior. Simultaneously, Russia's larger military has initiated a new push to breach sections of the extensive front line, placing significant strain on the already stretched Ukrainian forces.

In response to the attacks, Poland scrambled its fighter jets and raised its armed forces' alert level. Emergency crews are assessing the damage, and officials reported that two people were injured in the Kyiv region.

Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept a portion of the incoming threats, shooting down 296 drones and seven missiles. The Ukrainian government is also working to improve its own defenses, with Zelensky highlighting the increasing effectiveness of Ukrainian interceptor drones and the scaling up of domestic anti-aircraft drone production in collaboration with Western partners.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry reported that its air defenses downed 86 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions, including the Moscow region. Flights were temporarily halted at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and the international airport of Kaluga. Additionally, a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kursk border region resulted in casualties, including fatalities and injuries.