The air defence systems of Russia intercepted and destroyed as many as 59 drones while Ukraine claimed that it downed 57 drones overnight even as cross-border drone attacks continue despite the ceasefire talks.
According to local Ukrainian official, at least seven people were killed after Russia launched a barrage of drones across Ukraine overnight.
Starting in the evening, Russia attacked regions of Ukraine with over two hundred strike drones and decoy drones. Guided aerial bombs were also used. Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv regions came under fire.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 21, 2025
As a result of the massive strikes by the… pic.twitter.com/0SKnWgDwMk
Russian defense ministry said 29 drones were destroyed over the territory of the Rostov Region, 20 drones over the Astrakhan Region, three drones over the Voronezh Region, three drones over the territory of the Volgograd Region, two drones over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, and one drone was destroyed in each of the Kursk and Saratov Regions.
Voronezh Region Governor Alexander Gusev claimed that while there was no casualties or damage as a result of the Ukrainian UAV attacks in the region, the danger of a UAV attack in the region remains.
"Several unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted and neutralised while flying over the territory of the Volgograd Region and Volgograd. At the moment, there are no casualties or damage to facilities, and the assessment of the consequences of the falling debris is ongoing," news agency TASS quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Ukraine Air Force claimed that it shot down 57 drones out of 99 launched by Russia overnight.
Russia has developed a new bombing tactics:
— Sergej Sumlenny, LL.M (@sumlenny) March 21, 2025
1) swarm-attack one particular city in a night, saturating air defence
2) shaheed drones fly higher than usual (saturated AD allows it), nosedive to targets
3) shaheed equipped with thermobaric warheads for maximum damage for civilians. pic.twitter.com/fvbs0aP6FW
According to a Reuters report, 36 imitator drones did not reach their targets.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko requested residents to seek cover while air defences attempted to thwart incoming UAVs.
"We must strengthen Ukraine and our army—more air defence and real assistance," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the wake of the continued drone attacks and counter-attacks.
