Air defense downs 148 targets as Russia attacks with 172 drones and Banderols

Russian invasion forces launched a massive combined aerial assault against Ukraine overnight Sept. 21 (starting at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20), deploying 172 Shahed-type strike drones (including 64 turbojet-powered variants), Gerbera drones, Parodiya decoy drones, and Banderol/Dan-T loitering munitions.

Ukrainian air defense neutralized 147 Shahed and Gerbera drones alongside one Banderol/Dan-T munition. Despite high interception rates, direct strikes were recorded across 14 separate locations, while falling wreckage and debris from intercepted targets caused damage at four additional sites.

As of 8 a.m., Air Force warned that the Russian drone raid was still underway in several operational sectors.

Overnight regional damage

Kyiv Oblast: Explosions rattled Kyiv and surrounding suburban communities throughout the night amid the active threat of high-speed, turbojet-powered Shaheds. In the town of Boyarka, drone impacts ignited a massive fire that engulfed commercial warehouse facilities.

Zaporizhzhya: Russian strike weapons hit the city center of Zaporizhzhya, setting fire to the historic Academic Building No. 3 of Zaporizhzhya National University. The bombardment also caused blast and shrapnel damage to multiple multi-story residential apartment buildings and a shopping center.