Kyiv attack: Air Force shoots down 9 Kh-22 missiles, only 3 of 400+ previously intercepted
Photo: Yurii Ihnat (armyinform.com.ua)
During a recent attack on Kyiv, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down nine Russian Kh-22 missiles. Prior to this, throughout the entire period of the full-scale war, air defense had managed to intercept only three such missiles out of more than 400 launched, according to an interview with Colonel Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command.
According to him, during the attack on the capital, Russian forces used as many as 12 Kh-22 missiles. Each carries a warhead weighing about 1 ton, making such strikes particularly dangerous.
Ihnat emphasized that nine of these missiles were shot down.
"This is an unprecedented case that truly deserves attention and gratitude to our warriors who intercepted these missiles. Incidentally, before this case, out of more than 400 such missiles launched over the entire period, only three had been intercepted," he said.
In addition, according to the Air Force spokesperson, the enemy has also been using Kh-32 missiles. Like the Kh-22, they approach their targets along a ballistic trajectory, which significantly complicates their interception.
Previously, the enemy more often used such missiles to strike southern regions of Ukraine, in particular, oil platforms in the Black Sea, Snake Island, and coastal port infrastructure.
What is known about the Kh-22 missile
The missile is carried by the Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber. The Kh-22 Burya is a Soviet and Russian long-range, air-launched supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that is part of the K-22 aviation missile system.
It was designed to strike radar-contrast targets, including aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups, using either a nuclear or a high-explosive shaped-charge warhead. For this reason, the missile was developed with the capability to overcome powerful air defense systems.
As noted by Defense Express, the Kh-22 can reach speeds of up to Mach 4.6 and flies at altitudes of up to 22.5 km, which significantly complicates its interception by most surface-to-air missile systems.
When equipped with a high-explosive warhead weighing about 900 kg, the missile is capable of destroying large targets, such as an industrial facility. In practice, only modern short-range air defense systems are able to effectively counter the Kh-22.
Use in Ukraine
On the night of May 9, 2022, Russian forces launched up to six Kh-22 missiles at cities in the frontline areas of Donetsk region.
That same evening, Kh-22 missiles struck the Riviera shopping mall in the village of Fontanka near Odesa, as well as warehouse facilities in Odesa, killing one person and injuring five others.
In May 2022, the occupiers carried out about five more attacks using Kh-22 missiles, and on June 27, missiles of this type hit the Amstor shopping mall in Kremenchuk, where around 1,000 people were inside at the time of the strike.
In April 2024, for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian defenders destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber and two Kh-22 missiles.
On May 25, after a prolonged pause, Russia once again struck Ukraine with a Kh-22 missile.
