Key Takeaways:
– Overnight on September 21, Ukraine’s air defense forces shot down five Kh-59/69 missiles and 11 attack drones launched by Russia.
– Russian forces targeted Dnipropetrovsk region using ballistic and Kh-59/69 cruise missiles from occupied Crimea and Russia’s Rostov region, and 16 Shahed-type drones from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk.
– Ukraine managed to counter the assault using its air force, air defense forces, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units.
– Air defenses were activated across various regions including Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Poltava, Odesa, and Mykolaiv.
Formidable Defense by Ukrainian Air Forces
In the latest development from the ongoing Ukraine war, the country’s air defense forces thwarted a major aerial attack by Russia overnight on September 21. According to a post by the Ukraine Air Force on Telegram reported by Ukrinform, the defense forces shot down five Kh-59/69 missiles and 11 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia.
Surveillance and Tracking
The air surveillance troops of the Air Force were able to detect and track 25 Russian air targets during the night. These intruding targets included ballistic missiles being launched from temporarily occupied territories and attack drones from Russian locations.
Russian Aggression
Russian forces targeted the Dnipropetrovsk region with four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, launched from the Crimea and Russia’s Rostov region. They also launched five Kh-59/69 cruise missiles from the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia region. This aggression was further amplified with the launch of 16 Shahed-type attack drones from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk in Russia.
Unflinching Countermeasure
Ukrainian Defense Forces rose to the occasion by effectively repelling the attack using a combination of their air force, air defense forces, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare (EW) units. The high-intensity aerial battle saw a significant loss of Russian firepower as Ukrainian forces managed to neutralize five Kh-59/69 missiles and 11 attack drones. Further, five more drones were lost in location due to effective EW countermeasures by Ukraine.
Regional Defense
Additionally, air defenses were activated in several regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Poltava, Odesa, and Mykolaiv, to ward off any potential threats. Further aggression from Russia was observed when the invaders launched attack drones from both the northern and southern directions, as reported by Ukrinform on the evening of September 20.
Persistent Threat
Overall, this incident illustrates the persistent threat from Russia to Ukraine’s sovereignty. Despite numerous international sanctions, Russia continues to engage in aggressive actions, consistently breaching Ukraine’s airspace with missile and drone attacks.
No signs of the conflict abating suggest regional stability is under constant threat, emphasizing the need for Ukraine’s air defense and military forces to remain vigilant. This latest event spotlights the valor of Ukraine’s forces and the robustness of its defense systems. More updates on Ukraine’s resistance against Russian aggression can be found in the latest Ukraine War News updates.