Ukrainian Forces Launch Explosive Balloons and Drone Strikes Against Russian Regions
Ukraine attempted its first large-scale attack on Russian regions with explosive balloons, while Russian air defense destroyed 70 drones, some over the Black Sea.
Ukrainian forces have, for the first time, attempted to strike Russian territory using dozens of meteorological balloons loaded with explosives, according to sources in Russia’s emergency services.
By the morning of September 24, more than 30 such cases had been recorded. Officials noted that isolated instances of explosive-laden balloons had been observed earlier, beginning in the autumn of 2024, but never on this scale.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that during the night of September 23–24, air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian drones targeting multiple Russian regions. Some of the unmanned aircraft were brought down over the Black Sea.
On the night of September 23, Ukrainian forces had also tried to attack Russian territory with several balloons, though these efforts were limited compared to the larger wave that followed.