Russia has launched a series of continuous air assaults against Ukraine since Thursday evening, Ukraine’s Air Force reported on Friday, adding that a large number of enemy drones are currently in the country’s airspace.
This marks the second time this week that Russia has followed nighttime drone waves with heavy daytime strikes—a new tactic as Moscow tests ways to penetrate Ukraine’s air defenses.
“We see that the enemy is using new routes, new drones that are constantly being модернизed, and new tactics,” said Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat on state television.
He added that Russia has launched more than 400 long-range drones in the past 24 hours, along with ten ballistic missiles, mainly targeting areas near the front line.
According to Ihnat, this bombardment resembles an attack earlier this week that killed at least four people. In that case, a wave of over 300 drones overnight was followed by another large-scale strike during the day.
Large-scale bombardments by Russia have caused widespread disruptions across Ukraine, as many state institutions, public transport services, and businesses are forced to shut down during attacks that can last for hours.
“The enemy is putting pressure on our population, paralyzing the work of some public institutions, as well as educational institutions,” Ihnat said.
In the eastern Kharkiv region, one person was killed and 25 others injured by missile, bomb, and drone strikes over the past 24 hours, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said on social media.
The attacks included four ballistic missiles that struck the regional capital, also called Kharkiv, overnight. Authorities reported one person injured in that specific strike.
