Russia launched a large drone barrage overnight on Wednesday, Nov. 12, firing more than 120 attack drones at targets across Ukraine as it continues its campaign to cripple the country’s energy system ahead of winter.
Ukraine’s Air Force said 121 drones of various types, including Iranian-made Shaheds and Gerans, were launched from multiple directions, including from occupied Crimea.
By Wednesday morning, Ukrainian air defenses had shot down or jammed about 90 drones, but at least 31 struck 19 locations nationwide, the Air Force said.
The barrage came amid near-daily Russian strikes aimed at plunging Ukrainian cities into darkness before temperatures drop.
Air defense units, electronic warfare teams, mobile fire groups, and aviation were all engaged in fending off the attack, which hit targets across the north, east, south, and center of the country.
In Kharkiv, three kamikaze drones slammed into the Kholodnohirskyi district around 9 a.m., damaging a civilian industrial facility and several private homes, officials said.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the first strike occurred around 9:18 a.m., followed by two more minutes later.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said three civilians were injured – a 68-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman were hospitalized, while a 77-year-old woman suffered minor wounds.
The explosions sparked fires in residential areas, and emergency crews were clearing debris to check for more victims.
Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks, targeting power substations and distribution nodes in what officials warn is a deliberate attempt to freeze the population into submission.
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