F-16s Take Down 11 Missiles as Russia Attacks Ukraine With 200 Drones and 93 Missiles, Zelenskyy Says

Russian forces unleashed a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, launching 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X on December 13.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 81 missiles, 11 of which were shot down by recently deployed F-16 fighter jets.

He also revealed that at least one missile used in the attack was of North Korean origin.

“This is one of the largest attacks on our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said.

“This is Putin’s ‘peace plan’—to destroy everything. This is how he wants ‘negotiations’—by terrorizing millions of people,” the Ukrainian President added.

Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, DTEK, confirmed widespread damage, stating that thermal power plants across the country were targeted in the strikes.

US Ambassador in Ukraine Bridget Brink wrote on X that “Russia has launched a barrage of ballistic missiles, targeting energy systems, transport networks, and key facilities across the country.”

The head of the Ivano-Frankivsk region reported that the region suffered the most massive attack since the start of the full-scale war.

The attacks targeted critical infrastructure, there is damage, but no casualties.

In addition, 3 SES rescuers were injured as a result of a Russian guided bomb strike on the village of Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhya region.

On November 30, Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets, supplied by Western partners, successfully intercepted 7 enemy cruise missiles targeting civilian infrastructure.