Almost 1,000 drones within 24 hours: Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine
Almost 1,000 Drones Within 24 Hours: Russia Launched One of Its Largest Attacks on Ukraine
Between March 23 and 24, Russia executed one of its most extensive drone campaigns against Ukraine, deploying nearly 1,000 aerial devices in a single day. This marked a notable escalation in Moscow’s strategy since the onset of the full-scale invasion. The assault continued into Tuesday, with over 550 attack drones launched during daylight hours, striking central and western regions of the country.
Regional officials reported at least three fatalities and more than 30 injuries from the daytime strikes. In Lviv, a city near the Polish border, Russian drones caused damage to civilian areas, wounding 17 individuals. The Bernardine Monastery complex, a historic site of national importance located in Lviv’s UNESCO-listed historic center, sustained harm during the attack.
“Iranian ‘Shahed’ drones, modernised by Russia, are striking a church in Lviv – this is an absolute perversion, and only someone like Putin could find this appealing.”
Other targets included critical infrastructure, with strikes reported in Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr. In Ivano-Frankivsk, a regional capital, two people were killed and four injured, including a six-year-old child. Maternity hospitals and ten residential buildings also suffered damage. A 12-year-old girl in central Zhytomyr was hospitalized after being hurt in an attack.
Ukraine’s Air Force tracked drones heading toward Kyiv from the north during the daytime wave. Serhii Flash, a Defence Ministry advisor, noted that Russia is continuously refining its tactics to penetrate Ukraine’s air defenses. Zelenskyy emphasized that the scale of the attack underscores Russia’s intent to prolong the conflict, stating, “without additional and strong pressure on Russia, without tangible Russian losses, those in Moscow will have no desire to step back from the war or to get used to peace again.”
