Ukraine says Russia launched overnight Iskander missile and drone barrage, claims most shot down

According to a preliminary update from Ukraine’s General Staff, Russia launched a combined overnight attack using seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 189 drones, with 177 targets shot down or suppressed, but missile and drone impacts still recorded at 12 locations.

The figures came in a June 26 Telegram post by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine covering the period from 6 p.m. on June 25 through the night and stated as current “as of 09:00.” The military said the attack was still ongoing at the time of the update, with several Russian drones still in the air. The numbers are official Ukrainian military claims and preliminary; there was no immediate independent third-party confirmation of each figure.

In its breakdown, the General Staff said Ukrainian air defenses shot down or otherwise suppressed 177 targets: three Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 174 drones. It also said four ballistic missiles and 11 strike drones hit across 12 locations, while debris from intercepted targets fell in six places. The military’s wording did not mean every suppressed target was necessarily physically destroyed.

The General Staff said the ballistic missiles were directed at Kyiv region and Poltava region. It said the defense effort involved aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups. The drone component, it said, included Shahed attack drones as well as other unmanned aircraft and decoys launched from Russia and occupied territories.

The reported barrage fits a broader pattern of repeated large missile-and-drone attacks seen in June 2026, rather than a one-off strike. Iskander-M ballistic missiles are generally harder to intercept than slower drones and many cruise missiles because of their speed and flight profile, making Ukraine’s claim of downing three of them notable if confirmed. The General Staff’s update did not include casualty totals or detailed local damage assessments, which may be clarified later by Ukrainian authorities.