KYIV: Ukraine said Friday that its air defence systems had downed more than a dozen Iranian-designed attack drones in the latest overnight barrage by Russia.

Kyiv believes Moscow has stockpiled munitions to strike Ukrainian infrastructure over the winter months, and the capital has been targeted by missiles in recent days.

“During the night of December 15, 2023, the enemy attacked with Shahed-type attack drones,” the Ukrainian air force said, adding that all 14 drones had been downed.

It said the drones were launched from the Krasnodar region in western Russia and had been downed over the Mykolaiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi and Poltava regions.

Russia attacks south Ukraine with 42 drones, 11 civilians injured, Ukraine says

During the winter of 2022, such strikes left millions of people without power for long periods during a cold snap.

Kyiv has since reinforced its air defence systems with weapons from its European and US allies, but says more is needed to protect vulnerable regions.