Russia Launches 409 Daytime Drones on Ukraine With 388 Shot Down

Overview

• Russia sent 409 drones into Ukraine on Friday between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time, and the air force said it downed or disabled 388.
• Ternopil officials reported at least 10 wounded as strikes hit factories and power lines, causing blackouts, with damage also noted in Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, and near Odesa.
• The daytime barrage followed a separate night wave of 210 drones, a swarming pattern that forces Ukraine to spread interceptors and crews across multiple regions.
• Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Tuapse port the same day for the fourth time in 16 days, with local reports describing fires and oil on the sea.
• April set a record for Russian long‑range launches at 6,583, according to Ukrainian Air Force data analyzed by AFP, with Ukraine citing an 88% intercept rate.