Russian air attack hits Mykolaiv hard, leaving one dead and 23 injured

Russian military forces conducted a nighttime air assault on Ukraine, utilizing 17 Shahed drones and various missile types to target multiple regions.

Oct 15, 2024 - 12:00

Russian air attack hits Mykolaiv hard, leaving one dead and 23 injured

russian air attack hits mykolaiv hard leaving one dead 23 injured aftermath russia's overnight 15 october 2024

Russian forces launched a series of air attacks on Ukraine overnight on October 15, employing a combination of drones and missiles to target multiple regions across the country. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the assault involved 17 Shahed attack drones, seven S-300/400 missiles targeting Mykolaiv Oblast, and two Kh-59 guided air-to-surface missiles aimed at Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts.

Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas in attempts to terrorize civilians and damage civilian infrastructure. The Russian forces launch dozens of Shahed long-range “kamikaze” drones every night, often also launching several missiles during the attack. The Russians also intensified the guided bomb strikes, targeting residential neighborhoods of Ukrainian cities. 14 October was the first day in many weeks without a Russian Shahed attack.

Ukrainian air defense systems were reportedly activated in response to the threat, successfully intercepting 12 enemy drones across various regions including Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, and Cherkasy oblasts. The Air Force statement noted that four Russian drones were “locationally lost,” likely due to “electronic warfare countermeasures,” while one drone remained airborne at the time of the report (about 8:30 a.m.). By 9:00, the air alerts were lifted.

The attack had a particularly severe impact on the city of Mykolaiv. Vitalii Kim, head of Mykolaiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that around 02:30, the Russians struck the city with what are believed to be S-300 missiles. The assault resulted in one fatality, a woman, and left 23 other civilians injured.

Kim stated,

“An infrastructure object, a restaurant complex, trade pavilions, residential buildings, and cars were damaged. Fires broke out, and measures are being taken to extinguish them.”

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) provided updates on the firefighting efforts in Mykolaiv. They reported extinguishing two fires covering areas of 30 and 400 square meters respectively. In another district of the city, a restaurant complex and commercial pavilions were engulfed in flames, with the fire being contained to an area of 1400 square meters by morning, with liquidation efforts still ongoing as of 8 a.m.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the occupiers launched missiles at Mykolaiv Oblast from temporarily occupied Crimea, while Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts were attacked from Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The Shahed drones were reportedly launched from the Russian cities of Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk.

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