Ukraine's air defense downs 23 drones in Russia's fifth attack this week
On Friday night, air defense forces destroyed 16 of 17 Russian attack drones and seven reconnaissance drones in the sky of Ukraine.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.
From the evening of July 13 to 4 a.m. on July 14, 2023, the Russian army attacked Ukraine with 17 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones from the southeast (Primorsko-Akhtarsk).
"Following military operations in the southern and eastern regions, 16 'Shahed' drones were successfully neutralized. The defenders also shot down one surveillance UAV during the nighttime, and six more operational-tactical drones were intercepted and brought down by our air defense systems," the statement says.
The operations involved anti-aircraft missile units, fighter aircraft, mobile fire groups of the Air Force, and air defense of other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the areas of responsibility of the South and East air commands.
During the current and past days, the Air Force aircraft carried out up to 20 group airstrikes against the Russian occupiers.
This night's attack is the fifth attack this week. Over the course of July 10-14, Russian forces targeted the central, southern, and eastern parts of Ukraine, damaging civilian infrastructure, like residential buildings. Thursday's drone attack on Kyiv injured four civilians and killed one.
