Russian forces unleashed 141 strike drones across Ukraine overnight, targeting regions from the northeastern border to the Black Sea coast on 22 September. At least three civilians died and six were injured.
The assault followed a familiar pattern. Russian officials claim they target only military infrastructure. The evidence tells a different story.
Every major strike hit civilian areas—apartment blocks, schools, hospitals and industrial sites.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast governor Ivan Fedorov put it bluntly: “Not a single facility was related to military infrastructure. This was deliberate terror against a peaceful city and its residents.”
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 132 of the 141 drones. About 80 were Iranian-designed Shaheds, the rest included “Gerbera” drones and other variants. Nine drones found their targets across seven locations. Debris from intercepted aircraft scattered across eight more areas.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast bore the worst of it
Three people died before dawn when Russian bombers struck the regional capital five times. The bombardment began at 4:30 a.m. and lasted nearly 40 minutes.
The strikes damaged 15 apartment buildings and 10 private houses, along with non-residential structures.
Fedorov reported that a 20-year-old man and 16-year-old boy were among the wounded, with the teenager experiencing acute stress reactions.
The attacks hit the Kosmichnyi neighborhood parking area, the Naberezhna highway near shopping centers, and residential areas in the Shevchenkivskyi district.
Kyiv Oblast caught fire in four districts
Debris and direct hits sparked blazes across central Ukraine’s region. One man, born in 1993, took shrapnel to his shoulder in Boryspil district. Doctors treated and released him.
Forest fires erupted in Vyshhorod district. A private house burned in Fastiv district. Debris smashed into an empty apartment building in Obukhiv district. Boryspil district saw another house fire, plus damaged cars and property, according to regional administrator Mykola Kalashnyk.
Sumy Oblast took three direct hits
The northeastern border city faced Shahed drones targeting two industrial sites and damaging a school and a kindergarten. Six apartment buildings took hits. About 30 cars were destroyed or damaged. Windows shattered in nearby apartment buildings. Balcony frames buckled from the blasts, demonstrating the proximity of civilian structures to targeted sites.
Acting mayor Artem Kobzar confirmed one injury – a security guard at an enterprise hit by the attack.
Kherson Oblast counted two more casualties
The southern region reported two injuries over a 24-hour period from ongoing Russian attacks. Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin documented damage to three apartment buildings, 19 private houses, utility structures, a garage, and vehicles, reflecting the continued impact on civilian infrastructure in the area.