Ukrainian air defense neutralizes nine Russian Shahed kamikaze drones

The attack lasted nearly 6 hours between 6:00 p.m. and midnight, triggering air-raid alerts in four other Ukrainian regions - Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky, Zhytomyr, and Sumy oblasts.

Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa oblasts were also on a short missile alert for 10 minutes.

Ten Shahed kamikaze drones were shot down in Mykolaiv Oblast, another four in Kherson Oblast, and three more in Odesa Oblast during the latest overnight Russian attack on Ukraine's southern regions, the Southern Defense Forces reported on Telegram on Dec. 22.

On the same day, Ukrainian defenders shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of Ukraine, the commander of the Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk has reported on Telegram. Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat characterized the event as a "brilliantly planned operation".