Kyiv says Russia attacked south Ukraine with 42 drones overnight

Ukraine said Thursday that its air-defence systems had downed dozens of Iranian-designed drones launched by Russian forces targeting the southern city of Odesa, in Moscow's latest overnight barrage that wounded 11 people.

"In total, launches of 42 enemy attack UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were recorded," the Ukrainian air force said, adding that it had destroyed 41 of the Shahed drones deployed from Russian-controlled territory, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Falling debris damaged a dormitory in Odesa. Eleven people including three children were wounded, governor Oleg Kiper said.


"Russian devils started the second evening in a row with an attack on Odesa," he added.

Moscow has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's port infrastructure, including Odesa, since exiting a grain deal, which aimed to protect grain exports through the Black Sea this summer.

"The port infrastructure of the southern region is one of the enemy's priorities," army spokeswoman Nataliya Gumenyuk said.