Russia and Ukraine exchanged some of the largest drone attacks in recent weeks on the night of October 10. The Ukrainian Air Force reported 160 Russian drones aimed at the country's territory, while the Russian Defense Ministry announced that air defenses had destroyed 560 Ukrainian drones. There are reports of deaths, injuries and damage, and the data from both warring parties cannot be independently confirmed in full.
The most severe consequences are the consequences of Russian air strikes on the Ukrainian city of Zaporozhye, where, according to the latest reports from local authorities, at least eight people, including three children, have died. Another 16 people were injured, and the fate of 12 people remains unknown. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors under the rubble of destroyed residential buildings.
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian guided aerial bombs hit residential areas of Zaporizhia in the early morning hours. One of the strikes destroyed an entire section of a multi-storey residential building. Other residential buildings were also damaged, including at least 23 multi-storey blocks and three private houses. Among the injured are children, and the condition of some of the injured is serious.
Initially, local authorities reported seven dead and ten injured, but the number of victims increased during the rescue operation. The attack and civilian casualties were also reported by Reuters and the Associated Press.
Russia uses 110 jet drones against Ukraine
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian army used a total of 160 unmanned aerial vehicles of the types “Shahed“, “Gerbera“ and “Parody“. What is special about this attack is the significant number of “Shahed“ jet drones – a total of 110, which represents nearly 69% of all drones used.
According to preliminary data, as of 9:00 local time, the Ukrainian air defense had shot down or neutralized 117 drones, including 82 jets, using electronic warfare.
The Ukrainian military reported hits in 14 locations, and debris from downed air targets was recorded in ten more locations. At the time of publishing the morning report, the attack was still ongoing, with several Russian drones in Ukrainian airspace.
Explosions were heard in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk and Nikolaev. Air defense systems were activated in the western regions of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian media, a Russian jet drone was shot down near Lviv, the first reported case of such a device entering the city's airspace.
Moscow reported 403 drones targeting the capital
Meanwhile, Russia announced that it had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian attack on the Moscow region and other parts of the country.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that a total of 403 drones were targeting the Moscow region from the evening of October 9 to the morning of October 10. According to him, most of them were neutralized by air defenses on the far approaches to the capital, and 25 drones were destroyed immediately upon approaching Moscow.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that a total of 560 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed overnight over various regions of Russia, the annexed Crimea, and the Black and Azov Seas.
According to Russian authorities, more than 100 drones were shot down in the Rostov region alone. Governor Yuri Slyusar reported that six people sought medical help. Two of them were treated on the spot, and the other four were transported to hospitals.
The Russian news agency TASS describes the attack on the Moscow region as one of the largest in the past few years. There is no independent confirmation of the announced number of Ukrainian drones so far.
Moscow claims progress in Donetsk region
Amid the air attacks, the Russian Ministry of Defense also announced the development of ground combat operations.
According to the Russian military department, assault units of the 51st Army from the “Center“ group have advanced in the central and northwestern parts of the city of Dobropilya in Donetsk region.
Moscow also claims that Ukrainian units, which according to the Russian version are surrounded in the Kharkiv region, have lost up to 45 servicemen and three ground robotic complexes over the past 24 hours.
These reports are claims by the Russian Ministry of Defense, and at the moment there is no independent confirmation of either the encirclement of Ukrainian units or the indicated losses and territorial gains.
Donetsk authorities announced an evacuation program
The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, appointed by Moscow, announced the first participants in a special program for the resettlement of residents from the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Kramatorsk, Slavyansk, Dobropilya and Druzhkovka.
According to him, some of the applicants have already left Kramatorsk with the help of Ukrainian volunteers and are in Kiev. Pushilin claims they intend to eventually move to Russian-controlled Donetsk.
The program was announced on October 7 by the Moscow-backed authorities in Donetsk Oblast, which promised assistance in housing those wishing to relocate.
Pushilin said he expected a significant number of applications, as the four cities are large settlements. Information about the first participants in the program and their stated intentions has not been independently confirmed.
Kramatorsk and Slavyansk remain among the key cities in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk Oblast. Moscow claims the entire region, although significant areas remain under Ukrainian control.