News of War Staff Writer
A view shows a site of Park Hotel destroyed during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine January 11, 2024. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/File Photo
Ukraine's Air Defences Challenged by Massive Russian Missile Barrage
In the early hours of Saturday, Ukraine endured a substantial missile assault from Russia, with its air defences managing to intercept only a small fraction compared to their usual performance.
Ukraine's air force reported on social media that Russia deployed a total of 37 missiles accompanied by three drones, of which only eight missiles were successfully neutralized.
The spokesperson for the air force had indicated earlier in the week that Ukraine is currently facing a shortage of air defence missiles. The specific causes behind the diminished interception success rate were not immediately evident.
The air force noted that the majority of the missiles utilised in the overnight offensive were high-velocity ballistic types, which present a significantly greater challenge to intercept.
The official statement highlighted that "more than 20 of all the listed (weapons) which were not included in the number of the downed, did not reach their targets as a result of active countermeasures by electronic warfare."
No specific information was released regarding the intended targets of the attack.
Officials from at least five different regions across Ukraine confirmed that air defences had engaged Russian missiles.
The major city in the southeast, Dnipro, was among those hit, as stated by the regional governor, though details about the specific sites impacted were not disclosed.
In the northern Chernihiv area, police shared an image of a significant crater caused by a missile that had been intercepted. They detailed the aftermath: "As a result of being hit by the debris of an enemy missile, several private homes and non-residential buildings were damaged, one building was practically destroyed." While there were no human casualties reported, police noted that one canine life was lost in the incident.