Ukraine downs 23 out of 24 Shahed drones overnight, launches investigation into Russia’s war crimes

Overnight on 5 May, Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted 23 out of 24 “Shahed” drones, according to Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk.

Since the onset of the conflict, Russia has been relentlessly launching drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and missiles on civilian areas in Ukraine. The country’s officials have multiple times urged its Western allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities in order to protect Ukrainians from such attacks.

In a recent assault, Shaheds were launched from Kursk Oblast and Cape Chauda in Crimea which Russia has turned into a military base during ten years of its occupation. Ukrainian anti-aircraft forces and mobile fire groups destroyed the drones.

Serhii Lysak, the head of the regional military administration, said that Dnipropetrovsk Oblast suffered from Shaheds damaged several infrastructure facilities, vehicles, and a shop. Overall, 12 drones were shot down. He added that Russians also “terrorized” the city of Nikopol, shelling it twice with heavy artillery, damaging two enterprises, a recreational facility, and a private house, but no casualties were reported.

Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts also came under artillery fire yesterday, with 11 settlements suffering from Russian shelling and one civilian sustaining injuries.

The Sumy Regional Military Administration reported that Russians shelled four Sumy region districts with mortars, rocket launchers, and a heavy machine gun. A total of 11 explosions were heard overnight.

In Kharkiv, five people, including a child, were injured as a result of the Russian 5 May drone attack, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The agency said that in the night, the Russian military targeted residential and other buildings with drones. Fires broke out at two locations, with a total area of about 200 square meters.

Meanwhile, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that six people, including an 8-year-old girl, three women, and two men were injured during the Russian attack in Kharkiv.

Ukrainian prosecutors have initiated a pre-trial investigation into the violation of laws and customs of war by Russians under Article 438 of the Criminal Code.

Around 00:30 am, the debris of a drone fell on a private residential area, leading to a fire. At least eight residential and utility buildings, garages, and vehicles, were damaged.

“A 40-year-old man sustained blast injuries, while five others experienced acute stress reactions. All victims have received necessary medical assistance,” the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office informed.

On 5 May, Ukraine celebrates Easter Day. The Kharkiv City Council warned civilians should be mindful of their security throughout the day despite Kharkiv’s temples and churches remaining open.

Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia Oblast 345 times over the last day, said Ivan Fedorov, the head of the regional military administration.

“In the past 24 hours, the occupiers launched 345 attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, targeting ten populated areas,” Fedorov’s statement reads.

According to the report, the enemy conducted three aerial strikes on the Orikhove and Robotyne settlements.

“Huliaipole, Levadne, Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka, Malynivka, Novoandriivka, Biloheiria, and Novodarivka were hit by 148 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types. Additionally, Huliaipole, Levadne, and Robotyne were shelled from nine multiple-launch rocket systems,” said the official.

The report further indicated that Russian forces 185 times shelled Huliaipole, Novoandriivka, Novodarivka, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne, Levadne, Malynivka, Verkhnia Tersa, and Pavlivka settlements in the oblast.

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