Ukrainian forces destroy 26 out of 38 Shahed attack UAVs overnight, border checkpoint damaged

26 out of 38 Shahed attack drones were shot down over Ukraine on the night of 25-26 September. There was a hit in the Danube area, damaging border infrastructure and burning vehicles.

Source: Ukrainian Air Force; Vitalii Kim, Head of Mykolaiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Natalia Humeniuk, Head of the Joint Press Centre for Operational Command Pivden (South), during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote from the Air Force: "The Russian invaders attacked [Ukraine] with Shahed attack UAVs on the night of 25-26 September 2023. The launch of 38 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs from the southeast (Russia's Primorsko-Akhtarsk; Cape Chauda in Russian-occupied Crimea) was observed.

The air defence forces and assets of the Ukrainian Air Force, jointly with units of other parts of the Ukrainian Defence Forces, downed 26 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs.

Details: Fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, and mobile fire groups were operating along the route of the loitering munitions.

Ukrainian tactical aircraft conducted over 40 sorties over the past and current days, with 20 aimed at engaging the Russians.

Humeniuk said the Russians had once again attacked port and border infrastructure in Odesa Oblast with drones, and there was a hit in the Podunavia (over Danube area), setting fire to vehicles in the waiting and registration area, with two drivers reportedly injured. There was also a danger to bus passengers preparing to cross the border. The border infrastructure at the international checkpoint was also damaged.

Humeniuk said 22 Shahed UAVs were shot down during a Russian attack on Ukraine's south overnight: 10 in Odesa Oblast, three in Kherson Oblast, six in Mykolaiv Oblast and three in Kirovohrad Oblast.

Ihor Taburets, Head of Cherkasy Oblast Military Administration, reported that four Shahed UAVs had been shot down over Cherkasy Oblast, but an infrastructure facility had been hit.

There was also a ballistic missile explosion in Kryvyi Rih at dawn, and damage was inflicted on a business facility, Humeniuk added.

She added that although the attack was focused mainly on Odesa Oblast, Mykolaiv Oblast was also "hit quite hard", with wreckage setting an agricultural facility on fire.

Vitalii Kim also reported that six Shahed-136/131 attack drones were shot down over Mykolaiv Oblast on the night of 25-26 September. A fire broke out at the premises of an agricultural business in Bereznehuvata hromada due to the crash of a Russian drone destroyed by Ukrainian air defence forces [hromada – an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories – ed.]. The fire was contained. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties.

Furthermore, the city of Mykolaiv was hit by a missile strike on the evening of 25 September at around 21:00. The missile hit an infrastructure facility on the outskirts of the city. Further details are being established.

Earlier, Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration, stated that the Russians had struck the port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast, damaging a checkpoint building, warehouses, three dozen trucks, burning out six articulated lorries and injuring two drivers.

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