Russian forces launch Kh-59 missile, 120+ drones in overnight attack against Ukraine

On the night of August 31, Russian forces initiated an attack on Ukraine, deploying a guided Kh-59 missile and 121 Shahed, jet-powered Shahed, and Gerbera UAVs, as well as Parodiya decoy drones, according to the Air Force report. By 08:00 a.m., Ukrainian air defenses managed to shoot down or neutralize 96 enemy UAVs in the north, south, and east regions.

However, the guided Kh-59 cruise missile failed to reach its intended target. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) struck at 11 locations, with remnants of the downed drones scattered across eight areas. The Air Force cautioned that the Russian assault is ongoing, as enemy UAVs remain present within Ukrainian airspace. An air raid alert was issued in Kyiv on the morning of August 31, following the threat of incoming jet-powered Shahed drones, which led to explosions across the capital.

This marked the eighth time sirens had been triggered in Kyiv within a 24-hour period. Russian forces have been subjecting the capital to a relentless aerial campaign, maintaining near-continuous alerts in the city since August 27.