Russia launches 53 explosive drones at Ukraine, only three penetrate air defenses
The Russian drone assault injured two of nine civilians hurt in various attacks, while Ukraine downed 32 drones, with most others crashing.
Ukrainian forces successfully countered a massive Russian drone assault overnight on 6 December 2024, while other Russian strikes caused at least nine injuries across the country.
The Ukrainian Air Force reports that Russia launched 53 long range one-way attack drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type UAVs, from Oryol Oblast in Russia overnight on 5-6 December, starting 20:00 yesterday. Ukrainian air defense units shot down 32 enemy drones across Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, and Zhytomyr oblasts. Additionally, 16 drones reportedly disappeared from radars, while two left controlled airspace heading toward Belarus.
The Air Force’s figures suggest that at least three explosive drones might have reached their intended targets. At least one of those struck a home in Chernihiv Oblast northeast of Kyiv yesterday evening.
As reported by Chernihiv Oblast Head Vyacheslav Chaus, a Russian Shahed drone struck a detached house in Koriukivka district on the evening of 5 December, resulting in one local resident being hospitalized. The Ukrainian Air Force reported drone movements near Slavutych, Nizhyn, and Konotop, heading toward northern Kyiv Oblast.
In Kyiv, according to City Military Administration Head Serhii Popko, Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian capital in waves, mostly as single targets from various directions. Air raid alerts were announced twice during the night, lasting four hours total. Kyiv’s air defenses destroyed over 10 air targets. Drone debris reportedly crashed in an open area in Holosiivskyi district, damaging windows in a non-residential building, with no casualties reported.
In Kharkiv Oblast, the Oblast Administration reports that between 22:50 and 23:35 on 5 December, a Russian drone strike in Kluhyno-Bashkyrivka village of Chuhuiv district damaged building windows and resulted in one man being hospitalized, although it is not immediately clear from the report if the strike involved a Shahed-type drone or a smaller loitering munition.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, authorities report 435 strikes on nine settlements, including 254 drone attacks of various types targeting multiple communities, with no civilian casualties.
In Kherson Oblast, authorities report that Russian attacks injured six people were injured on 5 December. On 6 December around 7:30, a Russian strike on Komyshany injured a 45-year-old man, who suffered explosive and craniocerebral injuries and concussion but declined hospitalization.
Related:
- Ukraine downs most Russian explosive drones, but other attacks kill at least 3 civilians
- ISW: Ukrainian EW tech increasingly grounds Shahed drones, complicating Russian airstrikes
- Russian drones damage energy infrastructure in Ternopil, Rivne Oblasts
- SBU arrests suspected Russian spies, foils sabotage plots in Lyman, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia
- Ukraine shows off new drone tech to Scholz and Zelenskyy, including AI systems
- Ukraine endures over 500 guided bombs and 660 drones over past week, Zelenskyy says (video)
- Ukraine repels Russian drone assault: none of 78 drones reaches targets
- Russian attack on Kherson shuttle bus kills three and leaves 11 civilians injured
