Russia Attacks Ukraine with 453 Drones Overnight

Russia launched one of its largest single-night drone attacks on Ukraine, firing 453 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types in the early hours of September 13, 2026, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

Types of Weapons Used

The attack involved Shahed drones, Herbey drones, Parody decoy UAVs, and S8000 Banderol reactive drones. Using decoys alongside strike drones is a Russian tactic to overwhelm Ukraine’s layered air defenses.

Air Defense Response

By 08:00, Ukrainian air defenses had shot down or electronically jammed 409 of the 453 targets: 405 conventional drones and 4 S8000 Banderol missiles. Strike impacts were confirmed at 13 separate locations, with debris falling at 7 additional areas.

The attack was still ongoing at the time of the Air Force’s initial report. Authorities urged all residents to remain in shelters until the all-clear.

Regional Impact

The mass attack caused fires and infrastructure damage across western and central Ukraine, including in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Vinnytsia, and Khmelnytskyi regions. Air threat warnings were also issued in Poland’s Lublin voivodeship as debris and drones approached the border area.