Russia Launches 116 Drones Overnight May 20–21; Ukraine Intercepts 109 (94%)

Russia launched 116 Shahed-type attack drones against Ukraine overnight May 20–21, 2026. Ukraine's air defenses neutralized 109 of 116 drones — a 94% interception rate, among the highest of the war. The overnight barrage, while notably smaller than recent attacks (524 on May 17–18, 209 on May 18–19, 154 on May 19–20), continues Russia's near-nightly campaign maintaining pressure on Ukrainian air defenses and civilian infrastructure. The high interception rate on this night reflects both the smaller attack size and Ukraine's continued investment in layered air defense capabilities. Simultaneously, Russia's MoD reported its defenses downed 121 Ukrainian long-range drones that had been launched from Ukrainian territory toward Russian regions, with 8 civilians injured in Belgorod Oblast — indicating the two sides maintained simultaneous long-range strike operations on the night of May 20–21. Day 1,547 of Russia's full-scale invasion.