Record Zircon launch and strike geography shift: Ukraine's Air Force explains unusual features
Photo: aftermath of the attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region (dsns_telegram)
Russia launched eight Zircon hypersonic missiles at Ukraine today, marking the largest number of such missiles used in a single attack, according to Yurii Ihnat, Head of Communications for the Ukrainian Air Force.
How many missiles Russia launched
In total, Russia fired 73 missiles and 656 attack drones. Most of the missiles followed ballistic trajectories.
Eight of them were Zircon hypersonic missiles. Four were launched in the morning, while another four were launched from occupied Crimea from the southern direction.
"As a result, there was a fairly large number of ballistic missile hits, as the geography of today's strike differed somewhat from the attack on May 24. At that time, Kyiv was the main target, and most enemy air attack assets were directed at the capital," Ihnat said.
This time, Dnipro, the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Poltava regions, as well as other areas, were targeted.
Which missiles were intercepted
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 26 out of 27 Kh-101 cruise missiles. Three Kalibr cruise missiles were also intercepted.
Record number of Zircons and wider attack geography
The results against ballistic missiles were less successful, with only 11 intercepted. Authorities recorded 30 missile impacts.
Where the main strike was directed
Kyiv remained the primary target. However, Dnipro, the Kharkiv region, the Zaporizhzhia region, and the Poltava region also sustained heavy attacks. The geography of the strike differed from the previous large-scale attack on May 24.
The overnight assault caused casualties and destruction in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. Residential buildings and other infrastructure were damaged in the capital, homes were destroyed in Dnipro, and administrative facilities were hit in Kharkiv.
During the attack, Russia heavily relied on Zircon anti-ship hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. Nearly 700 drones were also launched, most of which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.
