Russian drones attack Ukraine by night: destruction and casualties recorded in Odesa and Kherson

On Wednesday night, Russia launched a series of drone strikes on various regions of Ukraine. As a result, Ukraine's Southern Air Defense Forces were on high alert for 7 hours. 

Unfortunately, in cities like Kherson and Odesa, buildings were damaged, and there were casualties near Odesa, Rubryka reports, citing the Southern Defense Forces. 

According to the military, two waves of attacks occurred in the southern part of the country with a 15-minute interval totaling 7 hours of intense combat activity.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces reported that the air defense system successfully destroyed 17 kamikaze drones:

• 12 in the Odesa region,
• 3 in the Mykolaiv region,
• 2 in the Vinnytsia region.

The Russian forces deliberately targeted Kherson, resulting in damages to a shopping center and residential buildings. There was also an impact on the storage facilities of an agricultural research institution. Details about casualties are still being clarified.

In the Odesa region, the Russians focused on attacking the regional center, and the air defense forces successfully intercepted all targets. Debris from the downed drones fell on one of the uninhabited new buildings.

A drone shot down in the air crashed into summer cottages in the suburbs of Odesa, causing a fire that has been extinguished. Unfortunately, one person died, and three others were injured, including a 17-year-old.

On Tuesday, Russian forces also targeted the railway station in Kherson, where civilians were awaiting evacuation.

Overall, during the night of December 27, Russian invaders attacked Ukraine with 46 Shahed combat drones. The air defense actively operated in eight regions of the country, successfully downing 32 drones.

The Air Force emphasizes that most of the drones that couldn't be intercepted attacked front-line territories, including Kherson. A few drones fell without causing any harm.

The air defense was active in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, and Kirovohrad regions.

On the evening of December 25 and the night of December 26, Russian invaders launched 19 Shahed drones across various regions of the country. Ukrainian air defense successfully neutralized 13 of the Russian drones.

In other news, the tactical aviation of the Air Force successfully attacked the large landing ship "Novocherkassk" of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.