(Reuters) – Ukraine’s air force successfully intercepted and shot down 30 out of the 40 “Shahed” drones, which were of Iranian origin, launched by Russia in an overnight attack targeting central and southern regions, according to regional and military officials on Saturday.
The South Military command reported that 20 drones were successfully taken down in the central Vinnytsia region, while an additional 10 were intercepted over the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in the south.
Ukrainian TV spokesperson, Natalia Humeniuk, confirmed that the Russian airstrikes persisted in their attacks on port infrastructure, including the Danube river, as well as their attempts to target critical infrastructure facilities in other Ukrainian regions with the intention of inflicting damage on the country’s economy.
Since July, Russia has escalated its air attacks on Ukrainian grain export infrastructure located on the Danube River and in the port of Odesa. These attacks began after Moscow decided to withdraw from a U.N.-brokered agreement, which previously allowed for the safe exportation of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.
Vinnytsia regional governor, Serhiy Borzov, revealed that an infrastructure facility in the area was struck, resulting in a significant fire. No further details regarding the extent of the damage were provided.
The regional authorities also confirmed that three individuals sustained injuries in the southern Kherson region, which is located near the frontlines and frequently experiences artillery shelling.
(Reporting by Olena Harmash, Editing by William Maclean)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
