Ukraine-Russia war latest: Drone and missile assault launched by Putin’s forces blown out of sky by Kyiv

The Ukrainian air force said it shot down all 23 drones and five out of six missiles launched by Vladimir Putin’s forces in the early hours of Thursday.

Khmelnytskyi regional governor Serhii Tiurin said the air defence shot down nine aerial targets over his region. Local authorities have not received any reports of casualties or property damage, he added.

Governor Vitaliy Kim said the military destroyed six drones and three cruise missiles over the southern region of Mykolaiv.

It comes as the Russian navy missile cruiser Varyag has carried out drills in the Mediterranean Sea, the state-owned TASS news agency reported on Thursday, citing the navy command.

The drills focused on repelling a mass sea drone attack, the navy command said. It also involved simulated engagements with an enemy vessel and a submarine.

Earlier this month a Russian naval frigate conducted drills in the Atlantic Ocean searching for submarines while on its way to Cuba.