Official statements from Ukrainian defense ministry and verified reports from international observers

Russia Fires 120 Missiles and 90 Drones at Ukraine; F-16s Engage in Largest Attack Since August

Nov 17, 2024, 09:01 AM

Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine on November 17, 2024, beginning overnight into Sunday morning and targeting energy infrastructure across the country with a massive barrage of missiles and drones. According to Ukrainian officials, approximately 120 missiles and 90 drones were launched by Russian forces, including various types of cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles such as Zircon, Iskander, and Kinzhal missiles, as well as Shahed and Geran unmanned aerial vehicles. The missiles were launched from multiple platforms, including 6 TU-160 and 16 TU-95 strategic bombers, 6 MIG-31K jets, and naval assets in the Black Sea. Ukrainian air defense forces responded by intercepting a significant number of the incoming threats, reportedly shooting down 102 missiles and 42 drones, including a 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile and 7 out of 8 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aero-ballistic missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets were deployed and shot down about 10 aerial targets during the attack. In total, over 140 air targets were intercepted by Ukrainian defenses. The assaults resulted in explosions in multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih, and Vinnytsia, prompting air raid alerts nationwide. Emergency power outages were implemented in several regions due to damage to the energy grid, with energy operator DTEK announcing cuts in Kyiv and other eastern regions. At least two people were killed and six others injured, including two children, in Mykolaiv as a result of the attacks. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko confirmed that the attacks targeted power generation and transmission facilities across the country. This coordinated strike, which lasted over two hours, represents one of the most extensive attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since August, as Russia intensifies its efforts to disrupt utilities ahead of the winter season.