Russia unleashes large-scale attack with jet-powered drones as Kyiv faces at least 9 air raid alerts in a single day
At around 7:45 p.m. local time, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said debris from Russian drones had been reported at two locations in the Dniprovskyi district.
On August 18, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine, deploying 76 jet-powered Shahed-type drones between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time. The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted 70 of the drones throughout the day, while others evaded defenses and struck ground targets. Nine air raid alerts were issued in Kyiv by 6 p.m., as Russian forces continued to expand their use of upgraded long-range Iranian-designed drones, known as Geran-3, Geran-4, and Geran-5.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reported debris from Russian drones at two locations in the Dniprovskyi district, but stated there were no fires or injuries. Over 20 jet-powered drones remained in Ukrainian airspace as of 6:30 p.m. local time, with the Air Force's Yurii Ihnat noting that Russia launched five times as many jet-powered drones in July compared to June, with usage continuing to increase.
The Geran-5 variant, capable of reaching speeds of up to 600 kilometers per hour and traveling up to 950 kilometers, carries a 90-kilogram warhead and poses a significant challenge to Ukrainian air defenses. Russia has also established 10 new bases along its borders with Ukraine and Belarus to launch its next-generation long-range strike drones, potentially posing a threat to NATO countries.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
