Ukrainian Army announces destruction of 17 Russian drones

The Ukrainian Air Force announced on Thursday that its defenses had destroyed 17 out of 22 Russian drones launched overnight. 

The Air Force stated on its Telegram account that the attacks originated from three different locations over a period of more than five and a half hours. 

It added that the drones, of Iranian-made "Shahed" type, were launched towards the regions of Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy. 

According to the results of the nighttime combat operations, the anti-aircraft defenses managed to destroy 17 out of 22 enemy drones, including "Shahed-136/131." 

The Air Force did not specify whether the attacks caused damage or human casualties, nor did it mention the locations where the drones were destroyed. 

Since Russia's withdrawal from the United Nations-brokered grain export agreement via the Black Sea, Moscow has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian grain export infrastructure in the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions in recent months. 

Romania, a NATO member, has increased its airspace monitoring operations following repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and infrastructure along the Danube River, which forms the border between the two countries. 

Shards of drones resembling those used by Russia were found on Romanian soil for the third time, NATO reported on Wednesday. 

AFP