Russia recently launched a surprise attack on Ukraine with five cruise missiles and 53 Iranian Shahed suicide drones. The Ukrainian air defenses were able to intercept the missiles, shooting down 48 of the drones before they reached their targets. The missiles were launched from Tu-95MC bombers over Russian airspace, targeting critical Ukrainian infrastructure.
The drones were fired from Crimea and Russian territories near the Ukrainian border. Interceptions of drones and missiles took place over various Ukrainian regions, making it challenging for defenses to intercept them. Ukraine has been under attack by Shahed drones nightly, which have caused significant damage to civilian areas when intercepted.
In response to Russian actions, Ukraine has started responding with its own drone attacks on Russian territory. This led to the unfortunate loss of at least three people and 22 injuries in Luhansk, which has been under Russian control since 2014. The attack involved American weapons, with a total of up to six ATACMS missiles launched in Lugansk, causing widespread destruction in the city.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing, with both sides continuing to launch attacks on each other’s territory. It remains unclear when the violence will end or if a lasting peace agreement can be reached.
