Russia carried out what appears to be its largest recorded drone assault against Ukraine on 13 May, with Transcarpathia bordering Hungary emerging as one of the main targets. The strikes are particularly significant because western Ukraine has largely been spared direct attacks since the beginning of the war.

According to preliminary reports, a total of 11 Shahed and Geran-type drones entered Transcarpathian airspace. Ukrainian air defence and electronic warfare systems intercepted or diverted most of them, although several still managed to reach and damage critical infrastructure. No casualties have been reported.

Authorities stated that essential services were not disrupted as a result of the attack. Emergency and rescue teams, together with relevant agencies, are currently working at the impacted sites while a full assessment of the damage and affected areas is still underway.

The regional governor praised the effectiveness of the air defence response and ordered immediate inspections of civil protection shelters. He also reiterated calls for residents to strictly follow air raid warning protocols.

Record-Scale Drone Attack on Ukraine

Monitoring channels suggest that the Russian military may have deployed up to 1,000 drones in the operation, which could set a new record. Waves of drones struck multiple regions across Ukraine, including Transcarpathia and its regional centre, Uzhhorod, an area geographically among the farthest from the front lines.

Military expert Oleksandr Musiienko, cited by UNIAN, suggests this may be connected to Russia’s previous avoidance of strikes on the region, possibly due to alleged agreements between Russia and Hungary’s former prime minister, Viktor Orbán.

The expert argues that the current attack may indicate the end of a period in which Moscow treated Hungary’s border region separately.

Belarus May Play an Increasing Role

According to Musiienko, several signs indicate that Russia is increasingly using Belarusian military infrastructure during drone attacks in western Ukraine.

He believes the Russian military may have deployed antennas and relay systems on Belarusian territory to directly guide drones over western Ukraine.

Reports indicate that many drones approached Transcarpathia and other western regions from a northwestern direction, near the Belarusian border.

‘This suggests that Russia is clearly beginning to use Belarusian territory more actively in order to carry out attacks specifically against our western regions,’ Musiienko said.

‘Belarus is entering a state of wartime readiness’

In recent days, Alexander Lukashenko announced that Belarus is entering a state of wartime readiness and will ‘selectively mobilize’ certain military units. The Belarusian leader stated that the goal is to strengthen the army’s combat readiness and defence capabilities, while expressing hope that the conflict can still be avoided.

The announcement is part of a broader modernization programme focused on electronic warfare, drone technology, and mobilization systems. In recent weeks, more than six thousand soldiers and reservists have participated in Belarusian exercises and readiness inspections.

Belarus remains Russia’s closest military ally in the war against Ukraine, and its territory is used for training, troop movements, and operational preparations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that increased military activity has been observed near the Belarusian border, including the establishment of new artillery positions.

Drones May Have Been Stockpiled during the ‘Ceasefire’

A Ukrainian military analyst stated that the so-called three-day ‘ceasefire’ between 9 May and 11 May may have allowed Russia to accumulate a significant number of drones.

During this period, Moscow reportedly reduced its use of Shahed and other unmanned systems, later deploying the accumulated stockpiles in the large-scale attack.

‘They are now using this accumulated stock. If there had been no ceasefire and attacks had continued, Russia would likely have responded with smaller numbers,’ the expert said.

Objective: Overwhelming Air Defences and Psychological Pressure

According to Musiienko, the attacks serve a dual purpose: overwhelming Ukrainian air defences and exerting psychological pressure on the civilian population.

A distinctive feature of the current wave is that several drones were deployed in daylight and in clearly visible conditions.

‘This also creates a psychological terror effect. It is intended to intimidate people, spread panic, and demoralize society,’ the analyst said.

Ukrainian intelligence has also warned that the drone attacks may be followed by cruise missiles, Kalibr naval missiles, and ballistic weapons.

Ukraine’s defence forces stated that they continue working to repel the attacks and minimize damage, while the war is increasingly approaching NATO’s eastern border and neighbouring Hungary.

Zelenskyy linked the timing of the attack to US President Donald Trump’s visit to China, suggesting Russia deliberately attempted to disrupt diplomatic events.

‘It is certainly no coincidence that one of the longest and largest Russian attacks on Ukraine occurred while the President of the United States was visiting China,’ he wrote.

According to the Ukrainian president, the attack consisted of successive waves of Shahed drones targeting the entire country. Russian forces specifically targeted regions closest to NATO borders, including Transcarpathia, Lviv, Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Rivne regions.

Additional strikes were reported in Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipro, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions.

‘Dozens of people were injured, including children’

Dozens of people were injured, including children. Drone attacks were still ongoing at the time of Zelenskyy’s statement. Ukrainian intelligence warned that missile strikes could follow the drone waves.

Hungary Responds

Following the attack, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok expressed his condolences, but once again faced criticism on social media for not directly naming Russia as the aggressor in his statement.

‘The largest-scale Russian drone attack to date, reaching as far as Uzhhorod, has hit Transcarpathia. We have no information about injuries. I pray for the people of Transcarpathia. I condemn the attack, and everything must be done to bring an end to the war,’ the president wrote.

In response, Hungary’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Budapest over the drone strike on Ukraine’s western Transcarpathia region on 13 May. The newly elected Hungarian Prime Minister said the Tisza-led government strongly condemned the attack following a cabinet meeting.

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