Russia launches 128 drones and two Kh-35 missiles in overnight attack on Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight from November 4 into November 5 with two guided Kh-35 missiles and 128 drones, including 65 Shahed drones. By 08:00, Ukrainian air defense had downed or suppressed 105 drones, while impacts were reported at 18 locations and fighting was still continuing.
Key points
- The attack began at 18:00 on November 4.
- Russia launched two Kh-35 missiles from the Black Sea area and 128 drones, including 65 Shahed drones.
- Ukrainian air defense downed or suppressed 105 drones by 08:00 on November 5.
- The Air Force did not report the downing of the Kh-35 missiles.
- Impacts were recorded at 18 locations, with debris or downed targets falling at nine.
- Three people were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where fires affected a private home, a garage and critical infrastructure.
- A drone strike on a house in the Putyvl community killed a 69-year-old woman and injured her husband.
Why it matters
The attack combined guided missiles with a large drone salvo, forcing Ukraine to use aircraft, air-defense missile forces, electronic-warfare and unmanned-system units, and mobile fire groups. It caused damage across several regions, including homes, logistics facilities and critical infrastructure, and resulted in reported casualties.
What happened
Russia launched the attack at 18:00 on November 4, beginning with two Kh-35 guided air-to-surface missiles from the Black Sea area and 128 drones of various types. Drones came from areas including Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, occupied parts of Donetsk, Hvardiiske and Chohud in occupied Crimea. By 08:00 on November 5, Ukraine had downed or suppressed 105 drones, including 48 Shahed drones, but several attack drones remained airborne and combat operations continued. Impacts were recorded at 18 locations, while debris or downed targets fell at nine.
In Dnipro and Samar, drones caused fires on a private home's roof, in a garage and at critical infrastructure sites. Three people were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. A warehouse and logistics facility in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast caught fire, and one man was reported injured. In the Putyvl community in Sumy Oblast, a drone struck a residential building, killing a 69-year-old woman and injuring her husband. Separately, Russian strikes in the Kherson community reportedly killed one person and injured five over a 24-hour period.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the scale and composition of the attack, the 105 drones neutralized by 08:00, and the participation of multiple air-defense components. It also gives substantial attention to regional consequences in Dnipro, Kyiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast and the Kherson community, including injuries, deaths, fires and damage to residential, logistics and critical infrastructure.
How international sources describe it
International coverage primarily presents the event as a large overnight missile-and-drone attack, highlighting the number of drones launched and the number neutralized by Ukrainian air defense. It gives less attention to individual regional damage and casualties than Ukrainian coverage.
Where reporting differs
Reports differ over the Bucha district incident. Some accounts say the attack caused an injury, while others also report a death. The reports also differ on whether that death resulted directly from the attack or from complications following an earlier wound.
Background
The attack began at 18:00 on November 4 and continued overnight into November 5. The two Kh-35 missiles were launched from the Black Sea area, while the drones came from multiple locations, including areas in Russia and occupied parts of Donetsk and Crimea. Reported consequences included fires in Dnipro, damage to a warehouse in the Bucha district and a drone strike on a residential building in the Putyvl community.