A woman sits with her dog on a chair as people take shelter inside a metro station during an air raid alert, amid Russia’s missile attacks on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 13, 2024. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
In the early hours of Saturday, Ukraine experienced a substantial missile assault from Russia, during which its air defense system exhibited a lower success rate in intercepting incoming projectiles than is customary. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 37 missiles and three drones, with only eight missiles successfully intercepted, as disclosed in a social media statement.
Earlier in the week, Ukraine’s air force spokesperson had conveyed concerns about a shortage of air defense missiles, though it remains unclear if this factor or others contributed to the diminished efficacy in intercepting the incoming missiles. The majority of the missiles employed during the nocturnal attack were identified as high-velocity ballistic variants, known for their increased resilience against interception.
The air force statement elucidated that over 20 of the aforementioned weapons, not included in the tally of downed projectiles, failed to reach their intended targets due to active countermeasures implemented through electronic warfare techniques.
Regrettably, specific information pertaining to the targets of the missile strike has not been disclosed. Local officials in various Ukrainian regions, however, have reported instances of successful interception of Russian missiles by air defenses. Notably, the city of Dnipro in the southeastern region experienced a missile impact, as confirmed by the local governor, albeit without providing detailed information on the specific targets.
In the northern region of Chernihiv, law enforcement authorities shared an image of a substantial crater resulting from a downed missile. The debris from the intercepted missile caused damage to several private residences and non-residential structures, with one building rendered practically destroyed. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the populace, although a canine companion lost its life in the incident.
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