Ukraine intercepts 309 Russian weapons overnight
Preliminary Air Force data lists hits across 23 sites as the defense operation continues into the morning.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
Ukraine’s air defenses destroyed or jammed 309 Russian missiles and drones during a massive overnight assault. The preliminary figures, released by the country’s Air Force, cover the period spanning November 2 and 3. The tally reflects the situation as of 09:00 on November 3, when the operation to repel the attack was still under way.
The strike targeted the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Russian forces employed ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and multiple types of unmanned aircraft. Missile and attack drone impacts were recorded at 23 locations. Debris from intercepted weapons fell at another 14 sites.
The ballistic component included Iskander-M and KN-23 missiles, along with Zircon anti-ship missiles. These weapons launched from the Rostov, Voronezh, and Kursk oblasts. The Air Force distinguished these from the air- and ground-launched cruise missiles used in the same attack. Russia fired 59 cruise missiles, including Kh-101, Kh-59, Kh-69, and Iskander-K models. Those launches originated in the Vologda, Orenburg, and Oryol oblasts. Ukrainian forces reported intercepting 49 of these cruise missiles. Data for three missiles remained subject to verification at the time of the report.
The drone component consisted of 289 aircraft. The mix included Shahed and Gerbera attack drones and Parody decoy UAVs. Among them were 120 jet-powered Shaheds. Launch sites included the Russian cities of Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Attacks also came from occupied Donetsk and the locations of Hvardiiske and Chauda in occupied Crimea. Of the 309 total threats, 257 were Shaheds or other drone types. The interception total included 89 jet-powered Shaheds. The Air Force also recorded three interceptions in the Iskander-M, KN-23, and Zircon category.
Ukraine deployed aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, and electronic warfare assets to counter the incoming weapons. Unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups from the defense forces also participated in the response. The Air Force noted that several Russian UAVs remained in Ukrainian airspace at the time of the update. The service warned that the attack was continuing and urged people to observe safety measures.
