Russia launched 161 drones at Ukraine overnight, including 82 jet-powered Shaheds; 122 targets intercepted
On the night of 23 September 2026, Russia attacked Ukraine with 161 strike drones of various types, including 82 jet-powered Shaheds, Gerbera drones, Parodia decoys and Banderole/Dan-T missiles. Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 122 of the incoming targets by 08:00, but strikes and falling debris hit 26 locations across multiple regions, with casualties reported in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.
Key points
- Russia launched 161 drones overnight, 82 of them jet-powered Shahed-type strike drones
- Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 119 UAVs and 3 Banderole/Dan-T missiles (122 targets total) as of 08:00, per preliminary data
- Hits were recorded at 18 locations and falling debris at 8 more
- The salvo was launched from Oryol, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Millerovo, occupied Donetsk and Hvardiiske in Crimea
- Aviation, anti-aircraft missile, EW, unmanned-systems and mobile fire units repelled the attack
- In Kyiv, reactive Shaheds hit warehouses in Holosiivskyi, two gas stations and two transport enterprises; at least one person was injured in Darnytskyi
- In Zaporizhzhia, the Amstor shopping centre in the Pivdennyi district was struck and caught fire
Why it matters
The overnight salvo mixed several drone types — jet-powered Shaheds, Gerbera decoys, Parodia imitators and small Banderole/Dan-T cruise missiles — underscoring Russia's diversification of attack means. A large share of the incoming drones were reactive Shaheds, consistent with the sharp monthly rise in Russia's use of jet-powered drones documented by the Air Force. Even after intercepting 122 targets, Ukraine recorded hits and debris at dozens of locations, producing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure including a shopping mall, warehouses, gas stations and residential buildings.
What happened
Beginning at 18:00 on 22 September, Russia launched 161 strike drones of various types at Ukraine, including 82 jet-powered Shahed-type drones, Gerbera drones, Parodia decoy drones and small Banderole/Dan-T cruise missiles. The salvo was launched from Oryol, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Millerovo in Russia, from occupied Donetsk and from Hvardiiske in Crimea.
By 08:00 on 23 September, Ukrainian air defense — drawn from aviation, anti-aircraft missile, electronic warfare and unmanned-systems units together with mobile fire groups — had shot down or suppressed 119 enemy UAVs and 3 Banderole/Dan-T missiles, for a total of 122 neutralized targets. The figures were given as preliminary by the Air Force and, at the time of its report, the attack was still ongoing with drones remaining in Ukrainian airspace.
Strikes were recorded at 18 locations and falling debris at 8 more. In Kyiv, reactive Shaheds hit warehouses in Holosiivskyi, two gas stations and two transport enterprises on both banks of the city; at least one person was injured in the Darnytskyi district and a fire broke out on a gas station roof, according to Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. In Zaporizhzhia, the Amstor shopping centre in the Pivdennyi district was struck and caught fire.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Coverage is uniformly sourced to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to Ukrainian officials, foregrounding the scale of the incoming salvo (161 drones, 82 of them jet-powered) and the response by Ukrainian air defense. Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat's monthly usage figures — from roughly 350 reactive drones in June to about 2,850 in August and 1,900 in September — are used to frame the attack as part of an escalating trend, with about half of Shaheds in use now reactive and Russia scaling up production despite sanctions-related component shortages.
Ukrainian outlets also anchor the national-scale attack in local consequences: a strike on the Amstor shopping centre in Zaporizhzhia, drone and debris damage across Kyiv districts, and reports of wounded civilians in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava and Kherson regions, with one fatality reported in Kushuhum, Zaporizhzhia region. Framing repeatedly names the defensive units — aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned-systems units, and mobile fire groups — that repelled the attack.
Where reporting differs
Most Ukrainian outlets break down the 122 neutralized targets as 119 UAVs plus 3 Banderole/Dan-T missiles, while one outlet's phrasing reports 122 drones neutralized separately from the 3 missiles — a wording that could be read as 125 targets in total. The Air Force itself describes the 119-drone and 3-missile figures as preliminary.
Background
The Air Force, via spokesperson Yurii Ihnat, has reported that Russia has used 7,700 jet-powered drones since they were first introduced, with monthly usage rising from about 350 in June to roughly 2,850 in August and approximately 1,900 in September as of the statement. Ihnat noted that about half of the Shahed-type drones currently in use are reactive and that Russia has scaled up production despite high component costs and supply difficulties involving parts from the EU and the USA.
The overnight salvo drew on that expanded arsenal, combining 82 jet-powered Shaheds with Gerbera drones, Parodia imitator/decoy drones and Banderole/Dan-T small cruise missiles. Launch sites included Oryol, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Millerovo in Russia as well as occupied Donetsk and Hvardiiske in Crimea.