Air Force: Ukraine downs 18 Russian drones overnight.

Ukraine shot down 18 of the 22 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on March 5, the Air Force said in its morning update. The drones were launched from the occupied Crimea. Mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force repelled the attack over Odesa Oblast.

Air raid alert was active in Odesa Oblast for over three hours. In the morning of March 5, Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces reported that several buildings of a recreational facility were damaged in Odesa Oblast. A fire broke out following the attack, but was promptly extinguished.

The military added that the recreational facility has not been functioning since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. A private residence with a pier and outbuildings was also damaged in the recreational area during the attack. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties.

Port city of Odesa and the wider region remain a frequent target of Russian strikes. A residential building in Odesa was struck by a Russian drone attack on March 2, injuring 20 people, including a pregnant woman. Rescue operations which concluded late on March 3, confirmed that 12 people were killed in the attack, including five children.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk