Third ballistic attack in August: Ukraine’s air defense downs 13 of 16 Russian aerial targets overnight

On the night of August 18, Russia launched a combined attack on Ukraine, deploying 16 aerial targets. The Air Defense Forces successfully destroyed 13 of them: 2 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 8 attack drones.

This information was reported by Rubryka, citing a Telegram post by the commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk.

According to General Oleshchuk, the enemy attacked multiple regions of Ukraine using:

• Ballistic missiles from the Kursk and Voronezh regions,
• Cruise and guided air missiles,
• Shahed-type UAVs (launched from Kursk Oblast in Russia).

In total, the Air Force's radio engineering troops detected 16 enemy aerial threats:

• 1 Iskander-M ballistic missile;
• 2 KN-23 ballistic missiles;
• 2 Kh-59 guided air missiles;
• 3 cruise missiles (type to be determined);
• 8 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs.

Photo: Telegram / Commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk

Oleshchuk noted that as a result of anti-aircraft combat, 13 of these targets were shot down in the Kyiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions by anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force, mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, and electronic warfare units:

•  2 KN-23 ballistic missiles;
•  3 cruise missiles (type to be determined);
•  8 Shahed-131/13 attack UAVs.

He added that the remaining missiles, which were not intercepted, did not reach their intended targets. Preliminary reports indicate that there were no casualties or damage.

Russia's Night Attack

On the night of August 18, Russians launched kamikaze drones to strike Ukrainian territory, prompting air alerts in several regions due to the presence of Shahed drones.

The first UAVs were detected in Ukrainian airspace around 02:00, with some moving toward the Sumy, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Kirovohrad regions.

Additionally, the Air Force Command reported increased activity of enemy tactical aviation, particularly in the east, and the threat of strikes in frontline areas. Anti-aircraft missile launches were also recorded in the Sumy region.

By morning, the Air Force announced the launch of high-speed targets toward Kyiv and its surrounding region.

According to the Kyiv City Military Administration, this was the third ballistic missile attack on the capital this month, with a clear interval of six days between each attack. It is highly likely that Russian forces used North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles.

Thanks to the defenders of the sky, the people of Kyiv did not hear the sounds of combat from the Shahed drones, which were also directed at the capital. All drones were destroyed far outside the city. As of this morning, no damage or casualties have been reported in Kyiv.

Later, around 07:00, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported the start of a cruise missile attack. After complex maneuvers across several regions, the missiles attempted to strike targets from a southern direction.