On the night of 26 December 2024, Ukrainian defenders successfully shot down 20 Russian drones out of a total of 31 launched by Russians. The remaining 11 drones were lost locally, causing no damage.
According to the Air Force, the Russian military deployed Shahed attack UAVs and other drones from launch points in Orel and Millerovo, Russia. As of 8:30 a.m., air defence forces had confirmed the destruction of 20 attack UAVs over Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk Regions.
The air attack was repelled by anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups from the Ukrainian Air Force and Defence Forces. The coordinated response prevented any significant impact from the drone assault.