Russia launches 108 drones overnight, WHO warehouses hit: Kyiv says truce never took hold

Russia attacked Ukraine with 108 one-way attack drones overnight on 6 September, with Ukrainian forces recording strikes at 11 locations, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. The barrage came less than 24 hours after a larger overnight assault involving ballistic missiles and 167 drones that hit 23 sites on the night of 4–5 September, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Despite repeated public calls for a ceasefire along the entire line of contact, the Ukrainian General Staff explained on 5 September that a proposed truce never actually took effect because Russian forces continued shelling positions and launching strike drones during the designated window. The General Staff did not release specifics of the proposed ceasefire terms, but noted that Moscow’s military command did not issue any verified order to halt operations, according to a statement. The explanation underscores a persistent pattern: Russia demands or hints at battlefield pauses while maintaining or even intensifying strikes.

The nightly attacks have become a grim routine. In August alone, Russian forces launched approximately 2,800 jet-powered Shahed-type drones against Ukrainian targets, according to Ukrainian Air Force data cited by Ukrainska Pravda. That volume puts significant strain on Ukrainian mobile fire teams, electronic warfare units and the dwindling stockpiles of surface-to-air missiles. In a related command change, a combat colonel has taken charge of Ukraine’s Close Air Defence forces, replacing a previous commander whose background was in anti-aircraft missile troops. The handover signals a tactical shift toward more dispersed, agile defence against the drone swarm tactic, military analysts note.

On the ground, the overnight strikes on 5–6 September also killed a civilian driver in Mykolaiv Oblast when a Russian drone hit transport infrastructure near the village of Shevchenkove, local authorities reported. Ukrainska Pravda confirmed the death, citing the regional military administration.

Beyond the battlefield, the humanitarian toll of Russia’s targeting strategy was highlighted by the World Health Organization. In a statement on 5 September, WHO said Russian strikes had destroyed three of its warehouses in Ukraine over the past three months, including a major facility in Odesa that held trauma kits, surgical supplies and medicines for chronic diseases. The organisation said it is “deeply concerned” that the pattern of attacks is deliberately hitting medical logistics hubs, violating international humanitarian law. Ukrainska Pravda reported the WHO’s condemnation.

The combined effect of daily drone barrages, missile salvos, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and humanitarian assets is part of a Russian strategy to wear down Ukrainian air defence capacity and erode public morale ahead of the autumn mud season, which historically slows ground operations. For Ukraine’s European allies, the numbers matter: 2,800 drones in a single month means Kyiv will need a steady supply of short-range air defence systems, electronic warfare gear and interceptor missiles to maintain protection for cities, ports and energy facilities through the winter.

As of 6 September, Ukrainian forces reported shooting down 73 of the 108 drones overnight, with the remainder either intercepted by electronic warfare or hitting their targets. Damage assessments are ongoing.