Russia launches 138-drone overnight strike on Ukraine; three killed in Kyiv region
On the night of 19–20 September 2025, Russia attacked Ukraine with 138 strike drones launched from multiple directions. Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 101 of them, but direct hits were recorded at 17 locations. In the Kyiv region, the strike killed three people, including two three-year-old children.
Key points
- Russia fired 138 strike drones overnight on 19–20 September 2025, including Shahed, Gerbera, and Parody-type decoy drones.
- Launch directions included Orel and Millerovo in Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Crimea (Hvardiiske).
- Approximately half of the 138 drones were jet-powered (reactive).
- As of 08:00, Ukrainian air defense had shot down or suppressed 101 drones.
- Direct hits were recorded at 17 locations; drone debris fell at 5 additional locations.
- The attack killed three people in the Kyiv region, including two three-year-old children, according to the State Emergency Service.
- The attack was ongoing at the time of reporting, with enemy drones still in Ukrainian airspace.
Why it matters
The strike illustrates both the scale of Russia's continuing aerial campaign against Ukraine and the limits of interception: roughly three-quarters of the incoming drones were shot down or suppressed, yet 17 locations still suffered direct hits, and the human toll included two young children in the Kyiv region. The fact that around half of the drones were jet-powered points to a shift toward faster, harder-to-intercept munitions, raising the operational bar for Ukrainian air defense.
What happened
On the night of 19–20 September 2025, beginning at 18:00 on 19 September, Russia launched 138 strike drones at Ukraine from several directions: Orel and Millerovo in Russia, and the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Crimea (Hvardiiske). The arsenal included Shahed-type UAVs, Gerbera drones, and Parody-type decoy drones, with approximately half of them jet-powered. As of 08:00 on 20 September, Ukrainian air defense had shot down or suppressed 101 of the drones. Despite that intercept rate, enemy air attack means scored direct hits at 17 locations, and debris from downed drones fell at a further 5 locations. The response drew on aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The Air Force reported that the attack was still ongoing at the time of its statement, with enemy drones remaining in Ukrainian airspace. In the Kyiv region, the strike killed three people, including two three-year-old children, and damaged a private house, according to the State Emergency Service (DSNS).
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All five sources covering this event are Ukrainian outlets (LIGA.net, LB.ua, Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda, Novynarnia, Babel), and they report the figures of the Air Force of Ukraine. The coverage centers on operational accounting — total drones launched, the mix of Shahed, Gerbera, and Parody types, the launch directions, and the breakdown of interceptions versus hits and debris. Ukrainian reporting highlights the layered, multi-branch air-defense response (aviation, anti-aircraft missiles, EW, unmanned systems, mobile fire groups) and stresses that the attack was still unfolding at the time of the report. One Ukrainian outlet also foregrounded the human cost in the Kyiv region — three deaths, two of them three-year-old children — citing the State Emergency Service.
Background
The drones used in the attack comprised Shahed strike drones, Gerbera drones, and Parodia/Parody-type decoy drones. Launch sites were located at Orel and Millerovo inside Russia and at locations in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Crimea (Hvardiiske). Air defense was provided by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.