Russia has launched its biggest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war with almost 500 individual strikes, a day after US officials warned that such a retaliation from Moscow was likely.
A total of 479 drones and 20 missiles were launched at Ukraine by Russian forces overnight, the Ukrainian air force said in a statement on Monday.
All but 19 of the drones and one of the missiles were successfully downed by Ukrainian units, the air force’s statement continued.
Damage was caused to a military airfield in the city of Dubno, just 40 miles from Ukraine’s western border with Poland, which was the main Russian target, air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Reuters.
Polish and other allied aircraft were activated early on Monday to ensure the safety of the NATO member’s airspace, Poland’s armed forces said in a statement.
The record attacks were in response to Kyiv’s devastating strikes on Russian bases earlier this month, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Monday.
“All designated targets” were hit, a statement from the ministry claimed.