Ukraine Air Defense Shoots Down 78 Drones During Day of October 1

Ukraine's Air Force reported on October 1, 2026, that Russian forces launched 97 strike drones — 66 of them reactive — against Ukraine between 06:30 and 18:00 local time. Air defense units neutralized 78 unmanned aerial vehicles, including 55 reactive ones.

Situation as of 18:00

As of 18:00, approximately 10 more strike drones were still airborne in Ukrainian airspace. Air defense forces continued to operate. The types of drones used by Russia included the Gerber and other models alongside reactive drones.

Russia has been using mass drone attacks as a primary tactic to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and strike infrastructure across the country.