Ukraine claims downing 31 Russian drones,12 missiles, but 3 injured in debris fall

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine claimed on Sunday that it had shot down 31 drones and 12 missiles in Russian attacks in different regions overnight, but three people were injured as the debris fell on residential areas.

Commander of Ukraine’s Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram that Russia launched an overnight air attack on the country from its Tambov, Saratov and Krasnodar regions, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.

Russia launched the attack with 14 missiles and 31 drones, Oleshchuk claimed, adding that Ukraine's Defense Forces shot down 12 missiles and all the drones.

“Air targets were destroyed in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia and Chernihiv regions,” he added.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said debris from downed drones injured three people, as well as damaged three apartment blocks and seven private homes in ​​Zhmerynka city in central Vinnytsia region.

There were no other reports of casualties or damage in other regions of Ukraine in the overnight attack.

Russian authorities have yet to comment on the attack, and independent verification of Ukraine's claims is difficult due to the ongoing conflict.