KYIV, Ukraine, Dec 14, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Ukraine said Thursday that its air-defence systems had downed dozens of Iranian-designed drones launched by Russian forces targeting the southern city of Odesa, in Moscow's latest overnight barrage.

"In total, launches of 42 enemy attack UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were recorded," the Ukrainian air force said, adding that it had destroyed 41 of the Shahed drones deployed from Russian-controlled territory, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.