Air defense downs 51 out of 78 Russian drones overnight – Ukrainian Air Force

The Ukrainian Air Force Command announced this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

On the night of July 29-30, starting from 22:30 on July 29, the enemy launched 78 strike UAVs of the Shahed type, as well as decoy drones of various types, from Oryol and Kursk in the Russian Federation, and Hvardiiske in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The Ukrainian Air Force highlighted a new element in the enemy's tactics.

"A distinctive feature of the night attack was the use of up to eight jet-powered UAVs in the northern direction," the statement read.

The aerial assault was repelled by aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems, and mobile fire teams of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

According to preliminary data as of 09:00, 51 enemy drones were either shot down or jammed by air defense systems in the northern and eastern regions of the country.

Twenty-seven UAVs hit targets in seven locations. Debris from downed drones fell in two locations.

Photo: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces