Russian drones attack major Ukrainian cities by night: 32 out of 35 downed
On Tuesday night, June 20, the Russian invaders once again launched attacks on Ukraine's military and infrastructure facilities with Iranian Shahed-136/131 drones.
Rubryka reports, citing the statement of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, that Ukrainian defenders downed 32 out of 35 Russian drones.
The Air Force said that Russian launched the attacks from the northern and southern directions — Russia's Bryansk region and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov.
The command reported that the Russian invaders used 35 attack drones. "30 Shaheds were destroyed by the Air Force and two more by units of the Ground Forces," the statement said.
The Air Force stressed that air defense was activated in most regions of Ukraine, but the main direction of attack by Iranian drones is the Kyiv region.
"More than two dozen drones were destroyed here," the Air Force added.
20.06.2023. 7:00. Destroyed: 32 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. Photo: General Staff of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Kyiv city military administration commented that this is the second attack by Iranian drones on Kyiv since the beginning of the month and the first in the last 18 days. The administration clarified that the Russian forces were working, using the usual tactics for mass UAV attacks.
"Drones entered the capital in waves, in courses from different directions. The air raid alert laster more than three hours," the head of the military administration stressed. According to him, approximately two dozen aerial targets were detected and destroyed by the forces and means of Ukraine's air defense in the airspace around Kyiv.
The Air Force also reported that Russian aggressors also struck the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia with ballistic missiles — Iskander-M/S-300 missiles. As reported by the General Staff, the Russian forces used seven S-300 missiles to attack Zaporizhzhia and its surroundings. "The targets were communications, property, agricultural and farming equipment, as well as a popular recreation spot," the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, Yurii Malashko, clarified on Telegram.
During the drone attack on Ukraine's western city of Lviv, a critical infrastructure object was struck, but no people were injured. Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported that the drone was aimed at a critically important facility. The head of the region also added that there was a fire at the scene, and now all emergency services continue to work there.
The General Staff initially reported that on the night of June 20, the Air Defense Forces downed 28 out of 30 Russian drones.
