During the night of October 16 (starting at 8:00 p.m. on October 15), the Russian forces launched a combined attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure using strike drones and air- and ground-launched missiles.
In total, the Air Force’s radio-technical units detected and tracked 357 aerial targets — 37 missiles (28 of them ballistic) and 320 drones of various types:
- 320 strike drones, including Shahed and Gerbera types (and others), launched from Kursk, Millerovo, Shatalovo, Orel, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia — about 200 of them were Shaheds;
- 2 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles launched from the airspace over Russia’s Ryazan region;
- 26 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles launched from occupied Crimea, as well as Russia’s Kursk and Voronezh regions;
- 2 Iskander-K cruise missiles launched from occupied Crimea and Russia’s Rostov region;
- 7 Kh-59 guided air-launched missiles.
The attack was repelled by Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare and drone units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces.
As of 10:00 a.m., preliminary reports indicate that air defense destroyed or neutralized 288 aerial targets:
- 283 drones (Shahed, Gerbera, and others);
- 5 Kh-59 guided air-launched missiles.
Additionally, as of 10:00 a.m., 18 Russian missiles lost radar tracking, with information being verified.
There were 14 confirmed missile strikes and 37 drone impacts across 14 locations, along with debris falling in two additional areas.
The main targets of the attack were the Poltava and Kharkiv regions.
