Russia launches 295 drones at Ukraine overnight; 267 intercepted, hits reported at 16 locations
On the night of 24–25 September 2026, Russia attacked Ukraine with 295 strike drones of various types, including 52 jet-powered Shaheds, Gerbera, Banderole/Dan-T munitions, and Parodia decoy drones. Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 267 of them, but hits were recorded at 16 locations and falling debris at 4 more. Fires broke out in two districts of Kyiv and three districts of Kyiv Oblast, a hospital in Zaporizhzhia was damaged, and injuries were reported in both cities.
Key points
- Russia launched 295 strike drones overnight on 24–25 September 2026, including 52 jet-powered Shaheds, Gerbera drones, Banderole/Dan-T munitions, and Parodia decoys.
- As of 07:30 on 25 September, Ukrainian air defense had shot down or suppressed 267 enemy drones.
- Hits by Russian air attack means were recorded at 16 locations; falling debris from downed drones was recorded at 4 more.
- Launch directions included Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo in Russia, plus occupied Donetsk and Gvardiiske in Crimea.
- In Kyiv, fires broke out in two districts, buildings were damaged, and one person was injured in the nighttime strike.
- Fires were reported in three districts of Kyiv Oblast — Boryspil, Obukhiv, and Brovary.
- In Zaporizhzhia, a hospital was damaged by a strike, with one person injured according to the regional military administration.
Why it matters
This was one of the largest single-night Russian drone strikes documented in the sources, combining Shahed-type one-way attack drones (including jet-powered variants) with cheaper Gerbera and Parodia decoys designed to overwhelm air defense. Even with a high interception rate of roughly 90 percent, hits at 16 locations and debris at 4 more show that residual damage on the ground remains substantial. The attack directly hit civilian infrastructure, including a hospital in Zaporizhzhia and residential and cultural sites in Kyiv, underscoring the continued pressure on Ukrainian cities.
What happened
Russia launched a large-scale overnight drone attack on Ukraine beginning the evening of 24 September 2026 and continuing into the morning of 25 September. According to the Air Force of Ukraine, 295 strike drones were launched from the directions of Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo in Russia, as well as from occupied Donetsk and Gvardiiske in Crimea. The package included Shahed-type UAVs (52 of them jet-powered), Gerbera drones, Banderole/Dan-T munitions, and Parodia decoy drones.
As of 07:30 on 25 September, Ukrainian air defense — involving aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces — had shot down or suppressed 267 of the drones. Hits were nonetheless recorded at 16 locations, with falling debris at 4 additional locations. The attack was still ongoing as of the morning, with several enemy drones remaining in Ukrainian airspace.
The strike affected multiple regions. In Kyiv, fires broke out in two districts and one person was injured. In Kyiv Oblast, fires were reported in the Boryspil, Obukhiv, and Brovary districts. In Zaporizhzhia, a hospital was damaged by a strike, with one person injured according to the regional military administration. The Podilsk Consultative and Diagnostic Center and the 1906 Holy Protection Church in Kyiv were among the sites reported damaged.
Background
The Air Force of Ukraine routinely publishes morning and evening tallies of Russian drone and missile strikes, including launch directions, drone types, and interception results. Russian overnight drone campaigns have repeatedly mixed Shahed-type one-way attack drones with cheaper Gerbera and decoy drones designed to overwhelm air defense. The launch directions named in this attack — Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo in Russia, plus occupied Donetsk and Gvardiiske in Crimea — have been recurring launch sites for Shahed-type drones.