Russian night Shahed attack on Ukraine: Air defense shot down all drones

Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces mobile firing group destroyed all Russian Shaheds on the night of May 17 (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine).

Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated all Russian kamikaze drones that were launched to strike Ukraine, according to Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On the night of May 17, Russia attacked Ukraine with twenty Shahed-131/136 attack drones, which were launched from the areas of Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk (Russia).

"Fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft missile troops of the Air Force, mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and electronic warfare units were involved in repelling the Russian air attack," the general says.

He specifies that Russian y drones were shot down in five regions, namely:

  • Kharkiv region,
  • Poltava region,
  • Vinnytsia region,
  • Odesa region,
  • Mykolaiv region.

Russian night Shaheds attack

On the evening of May 16, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine warned of the detection of Russian attack drones in the Ukrainian sky. An air alert was declared in many regions of Ukraine.

Later, it became known that explosions were heard in Kharkiv due to a Russian Shahed attack. Ukrainian air defense was also activated in the region.

Then, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the movement of Russian kamikaze drones from several directions toward Poltava. An explosion was also heard near the city.

According to the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration and the Kharkiv City Hall, Russia struck one of Kharkiv's districts. A fire broke out there because of the Russian strike. There was no information about the victims. Later, it became known that the Russians had also attacked Kharkiv with missiles.