Russia unleashes 205 drones on Ukraine in massive New Year's assault

Thursday 01 January 2026 - 13:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Russia unleashes 205 drones on Ukraine in massive New Year's assault

Russia launched one of its largest drone barrages of the ongoing war against Ukraine on New Year's Eve, deploying 205 attack drones that targeted civilian infrastructure and plunged thousands into darkness amid diplomatic efforts for a peace settlement.

Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept or jam 176 of the Iranian-designed Shahed and Gerbera drones, but 24 struck 15 locations across the country, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The assault began at 6 p.m. local time on December 31 and continued into the early hours of January 1, with drones originating from multiple directions including Russia's Orel, Bryansk, and Kursk regions as well as occupied Crimea.

In Ukraine's northwestern Volyn region, critical infrastructure suffered severe damage, leaving over 103,000 residents without power. Regional military administration head Ivan Rudnytskyi reported that dozens of enemy targets hit energy facilities overnight, sparking fires in Lutsk and the Kovel district.

Southern port city Odesa faced direct hits on residential buildings and energy sites, injuring six people including three children a seven-month-old infant, an eight-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old boy. Four apartment blocks were damaged, while energy provider DTEK noted substantial harm to two facilities, marking the 10th substation affected in Odesa region during December alone.

The strikes unfolded even as U.S. President Donald Trump pressed for progress toward ending the nearly four-year conflict, having hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida residence on December 28 and declaring a resolution "closer than ever." Zelenskyy is set to engage European leaders backing Ukraine's push for acceptable peace terms.

In his New Year's address from the snowy Kremlin grounds, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed victory in Ukraine, hailing Russian troops as heroes "fighting for your homeland, the truth, and justice." The three-and-a-half-minute speech made no reference to ongoing peace talks.

United Nations data indicates that from January to November 2025, over 2,300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and more than 11,000 injured a 26% rise from the same period in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023.