Ukrainian artillerymen on the Donetsk front Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo / AFP

On the night of 6 December, Russian forces launched a massive attack on Ukraine, using 53 attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including Shahed and other types of drones. Ukraine’s air defence forces successfully shot down 32 of them. This was reported by the press service of the Ukrainian Air Force.

The operation to destroy enemy drones covered Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. Anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare (EW) units and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force and Defence Forces were involved in the countermeasures.

In addition to the downed drones, 16 drones were reportedly lost from the locators, and two left the controlled airspace, heading towards Belarus.