Russia Launches 88 Drones at Ukraine; Svitlovodsk Industrial Plant and Railways Hit
Russia launched 88 drones at Ukraine overnight along with five Iskander-M ballistic missiles and a Kh-59/69 guided air missile, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Drones were launched from Millerovo, Oryol, Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Air defences neutralised 71 Shahed-type drones in the east, north and south of the country — 34 shot down by fire strike, 37 lost or suppressed by electronic warfare. Eight strike locations were confirmed. Earlier attacks struck railways in three regions and an industrial enterprise in Svitlovodsk, Kirovohrad region, with casualties reported.
The overnight barrage continues the pattern of saturating Ukrainian air defences with low-cost Shahed and decoy drones while reserving more sophisticated weapons (Iskander-M, Kalibr, Kh-101, Oreshnik) for higher-value targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his appeals to allies for more air defence systems, citing the Iran-war redirect of US Patriot interceptors. The Svitlovodsk industrial enterprise hit and the railway strikes in three regions indicate Russia is continuing its infrastructure-targeting campaign in parallel with the urban-barrage tactic. Russia’s spring offensive is floundering as Ukrainian midrange-drone strikes disrupt Russian rear supply lines; Russia continues to lose ground in Ukraine through March-April.