Night attack on Ukraine - Russian army resorted to combined tactics
Head of the United Coordinating Press Center of Security and Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine, Natalia Humeniuk (photo: Getty Images)
Tonight, the enemy once again resorted to a combined tactic, testing the air defense systems with a drone attack first, and then deploying missile resources, states the Head of the United Coordinating Press Center of Security and Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine, Natalia Humeniuk.
"During the drone attack in our area of responsibility, we observed enemy missile strikes, including a ballistic missile of the Iskander-M type and an X-59 guided aviation missile launched from aircraft in the Black Sea, directly during the practice of a shotgun attack," said Natalia Humeniuk.
According to her, this time the drone attack was focused on the energy sector of the Odesa region. The enemy heavily bombed drones from the Black Sea, and they were quite successful.
In total, 8 drones were destroyed, the wreckage of one of them fell on the territory of an energy facility, causing a fire, which led to a short circuit. The facility itself and up to 170 thousand subscribers were de-energized, according to preliminary data. No people were injured. Two more drones hit an agricultural enterprise in the territory of the Kherson region, no people were injured, and the facility was put into conservation.
"The enemy attempted to target certain objects with missiles, but the hits occurred in open areas. Fortunately, no people were injured. The fact that the enemy combines drone, ballistic, and aviation-based missile attacks indicates an attempt to exhaust air defense systems and achieve any victories in a combined way," the spokesperson noted.
About the Zircon missiles
"The Zircon missiles are being tested, and they are likely being improved by the enemy and tested. Unfortunately, they allow themselves to do this from time to time on the territory of Ukraine, as there have already been signs of launches," Humeniuk reported.
According to the spokesperson, the declared characteristics somewhat differ from those demonstrated in reality, so they need to continue studying them. As she noted, this is a quite long-range missile, so in any case, a missile capable of striking on a ballistic trajectory is an extreme threat, especially if it has long-range characteristics ranging from Crimea to northern Ukraine, which increases its territorial reach. The threat to all regions of Ukraine remains objectively high.
On the night of March 31, a large-scale air raid alert was declared in Ukraine, and missile launches were recorded. The Air Force warned of the activity of Tu-95MS aircraft.
Additionally, military aviation in Poland was put on alert due to a missile attack on Ukraine. The Polish Armed Forces reported that intensive activity of Russian long-range aviation was observed tonight in connection with missile strikes on objects located on the territory of Ukraine.
"All necessary procedures have been initiated to ensure the safety of Poland's airspace," they wrote.
