128 Drones, 2 Missiles: Russia Strikes Ukraine, Killing Woman

Russia launched two Kh-35 missiles and 128 drones against Ukraine from the evening of Nov. 4 into Nov. 5. The attack damaged energy, logistics, and civilian infrastructure. Missile and drone impacts were recorded at 18 locations, while debris fell at nine others.

The reported regional damage was widespread. In Odesa, strikes hit energy and civilian facilities. Kharkiv saw fires at a postal terminal and a warehouse. Dnipropetrovsk suffered damage in several districts, including Dnipro and Marhanets. Kyiv region reported a fire at a logistics facility, while Sumy saw a house collapse and burn.

The Air Force said Ukrainian forces shot down or neutralized 105 drones. Emergency workers extinguished fires, rescued people, and continued clearing damaged sites. Casualties varied by location, from no reported injuries in some regions to deaths and multiple injuries elsewhere.

Shahed-type drones are unmanned aircraft commonly used as one-way attack weapons. They carry explosives and fly toward a target before detonating. The article specifically identifies 48 of the launched drones as jet-powered Shahed-type UAVs.

Gerbera and Parodiya drones are described in the article as decoys. Their role is to imitate or accompany attack drones and complicate detection, tracking, and the use of defensive weapons. The article says Russia launched them from several directions, including Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory.

Kh-35 missiles are guided anti-ship cruise missiles that can be launched from aircraft and other platforms. In this attack, two were launched from the Black Sea by air. The Air Force did not report whether those missiles were intercepted. The article does not identify their final effects.

The attack was large, involving 128 drones and two Kh-35 guided air-launched missiles. It began at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and continued overnight into Nov. 5. The drones included Shahed-type attack UAVs and Gerbera and Parodiya decoys.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 105 of the 128 drones were shot down or otherwise neutralized. That total included 48 jet-powered Shahed-type UAVs. The defense effort used several kinds of Ukrainian units rather than one system alone.

The Air Force did not state whether the two Kh-35 missiles were intercepted. Missile and drone impacts still occurred at 18 locations, and debris from downed targets fell at nine locations. The figures show both the scale of the assault and the limits of defending against a mixed attack.

In southern Odesa, strikes damaged energy and civilian infrastructure, partly destroyed a delivery warehouse, and damaged a medical-products company building. Windows were blown out at a college and dormitory, but no casualties were initially reported. Kharkiv strikes ignited a postal-terminal fire and a large warehouse fire, with no casualties reported.

Dnipropetrovsk saw 20 attacks across six districts. Three people were injured in Dnipro, and four women were injured later in Marhanets. Buildings, garages, vehicles, and infrastructure were damaged. In Kyiv region, a logistics facility burned and one man was injured. Fires were contained or extinguished by emergency crews.

In Sumy, a strike collapsed and burned a private house. An injured man was rescued from rubble, while a woman died from her injuries. These incidents show how the attack affected both operational infrastructure and civilian property across several regions.

The Ukrainian response relied on several forces working together. The Air Force reported that aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups repelled the attack. The article presents this as a coordinated, layered defense.

Each listed element contributed a different capability. Aviation and anti-aircraft missile forces engaged airborne threats. Electronic warfare units operated against drone systems without necessarily using explosives. Unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups added other ways to find, track, or attack targets. The article does not give separate totals for each unit.

Their combined effort helped shoot down or neutralize 105 of 128 drones. However, impacts occurred at 18 locations, and debris fell at nine. The result shows that layered defenses can reduce damage substantially, but a large mixed barrage can still reach or affect targets.

Energy facilities support electricity and other essential services. Logistics infrastructure moves goods, equipment, and supplies. Warehouses and postal terminals connect businesses and communities to delivery networks. Striking these sites can therefore interrupt daily life and make recovery or military resupply more difficult.

The article gives several examples. In Odesa, a delivery warehouse and energy infrastructure were damaged. In Kharkiv, a postal terminal and a private warehouse caught fire. In Kyiv region, a logistics facility burned. These attacks also damaged civilian buildings, including a college, dormitory, homes, and apartment buildings.

The article does not state Russia’s specific reason for selecting each target. In general, attacks on infrastructure can seek to disrupt services, movement, production, or morale. The reported fires, injuries, and continuing emergency work show that effects extend beyond the immediate target to workers, residents, and local communities.

Modern defenses first detect airborne objects with sensors such as radar and other surveillance systems. They then track a target and assess its likely path. Electronic-warfare systems can interfere with a drone’s navigation or communications. Missiles, aircraft, guns, and mobile teams can physically destroy threats that remain trackable.

This attack illustrates the layered approach. Ukraine used aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups. Russia launched Shahed-type drones alongside Gerbera and Parodiya decoys from several directions. That combination can make it harder to identify genuine attack drones and allocate defensive resources.

The Air Force reported that 105 of 128 drones were shot down or neutralized, but impacts still occurred at 18 locations. The article does not identify which defenses failed or explain why individual weapons penetrated. It shows that layered systems reduce threats without guaranteeing complete interception.