Russia conducted a large-scale combined strike across Ukraine overnight from 19 to 20 September, launching 619 aerial assets comprising attack drones and missiles.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that 583 of these were destroyed or suppressed, with impacts and falling debris recorded in 20 locations.

According to the Air Force, the assault included 579 unmanned aerial vehicles, eight Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 32 Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles. Of these, 552 drones, two ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles did not reach their targets. The service described the action by Ukrainian air defences and tactical aviation as effective, noting the role of F-16 fighter aircraft now in service.

Initial reports from regional and national authorities on Saturday indicated civilian casualties. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least three people were killed and dozens injured across multiple regions during the bombardment. Local officials reported a missile with cluster munitions striking a residential building in the city of Dnipro, injuring at least 26 people; fatalities were also reported in Chernihiv and Khmelnytskyi regions.

Ukraine’s alert system was activated for extended periods as the strike unfolded in waves through the night. The Air Force said impacts from ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as 23 strike drones that penetrated defences, were confirmed at 10 sites, with debris from downed objects falling at a further 10 locations. Authorities reported damage to homes and civilian infrastructure in several oblasts.

Kyiv region officials cited incidents around Bucha, Boryspil and Obukhiv, where debris damaged a house and vehicles. In Lviv region, two cruise missiles were reportedly intercepted. Other affected regions named by national officials included Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy and Kharkiv. Full damage assessments were continuing on Saturday.

Poland said it mobilised aircraft and “all necessary personnel and assets” to safeguard its airspace as the attack neared NATO borders. Warsaw’s measures were described as precautionary; similar air policing steps by allies have accompanied previous mass strikes.

International media cited Ukrainian figures that this was among the heaviest mixed drone-missile bombardments in recent months, with a marked reliance on large swarms of Shahed-type drones supported by cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s Air Force attributed the high intercept rate to a layered defence involving ground-based systems and tactical aviation, now supplemented by F-16s. Officials did not disclose the types or numbers of interceptors used in specific regions.

The overnight attack follows a pattern of combined operations aimed at testing Ukrainian air defence coverage and saturating interceptors. In previous waves, Russia has used decoy UAVs to complicate tracking and engagement. Saturday’s figures released by the Air Force again separated aerial assets neutralised by destruction from those “suppressed”, a term used to describe drones or missiles diverted or disabled before reaching targets.

Emergency services worked through the morning to extinguish fires and clear debris at strike sites. In Dnipro, rescue teams evacuated residents from a damaged apartment block and cordoned off surrounding streets. In Chernihiv region, authorities reported one fatality and eight injured, including three medical workers, following separate attacks. Investigations into the use of cluster munitions in the Dnipro incident were reported by local officials.

Ukraine’s leadership reiterated calls for additional air-defence systems and interceptor missiles. Zelenskyy said the scale of the assault underscored the need for sustained support from partners. He indicated that discussions on security assistance would continue with the United States and European allies in the coming days.

By late morning on 20 September, authorities had not released a consolidated nationwide damage estimate. The Air Force said further updates would follow once battle-damage assessment teams completed site inspections in the affected regions. Local administrations advised residents to observe air-raid guidance, avoid approaching debris fields, and report unexploded ordnance to emergency services.