The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security Council, Andriy Kovalenko, reported that the Russian Armed Forces lost an unspecified number of Kh-101 missiles following last night’s drone attack by Ukraine on the Engels military airbase in Russia.
“In Engels, as a result of the attack, the Russians lost missiles, particularly the Kh-101. The exact number will be determined later,” Kovalenko stated. He also noted that Russia stores a significant portion of the missiles it uses to attack Ukraine at this base.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported that their air defenses shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over six regions of the country and the occupied Crimean Peninsula. They also confirmed at least two injuries and damage to a hospital and about thirty homes in Engels, the city adjacent to the airbase.
During the night, Russia launched around 200 drones targeting Ukrainian territory. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the attack injured ten people in the Kirovohrad region and caused damage to homes, a church, and other infrastructure.
Both countries have agreed to a 30-day partial truce aimed at halting attacks on energy infrastructure. However, airstrikes continue as both sides await clarification on which facilities will be protected during the temporary ceasefire.
Ukrainian forces reported that their air defenses intercepted 75 Russian attack drones over various regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. The attacks caused damage in Kirovohrad, Sumy, and Donetsk.
This latest Russian drone assault comes after both nations agreed to safeguard energy infrastructure, which, according to Ukraine and the U.S., also includes other civilian facilities.
President Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainian airstrikes on enemy territory will continue until a formal truce agreement is reached. “I don’t know what Putin is saying about this, but right now, we have 107 Shahed drones in the sky,” he stated in a press conference past midnight, referring to the latest Russian drone attack.
He added that as long as there is no formal document on the partial ceasefire, the attacks are likely to continue. Zelensky also confirmed that he had informed former U.S. President Donald Trump of his acceptance of the partial truce that Washington had previously negotiated with Moscow.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia continue to target strategic enemy sites with long-range drones as they finalize the terms of the ceasefire.
