Russia launches 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine: F-16s and Mirage fighter jets respond
Photo: F-16 and Mirage aircraft repelled the Russian air attack on April 24 (GettyImages)
Russia launched 70 missiles of various types and 145 drones at Ukraine on the night of April 24. The enemy's main direction of attack was Kyiv, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
In total, Russia launched 215 aerial targets at Ukraine overnight, namely:
- 11 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles (launch areas - Bryansk, Voronezh, and Kursk regions);
- 37 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers (launch area - Saratov region);
- 6 Iskander-K cruise missiles (launch area - Donetsk region);
- 12 Kalibr cruise missiles (from the Black Sea);
- 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles from tactical aviation aircraft (launch area - Belgorod region);
- 145 Shahed UAVs and various types of decoy drones (from Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Cape Chauda in Crimea).
As the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted, the main direction of the Russian strike that night was Kyiv.
Air defense forces shot down 48 missiles (7 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, 31 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 6 Kalibr cruise missiles, 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles) and 64 Shahed drones.
Another 68 enemy decoy drones were lost locally (without negative consequences).
Aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Ukraine's Defense Forces repelled the attack.
"Aviation took an active part in repelling the attack, particularly F-16 and Mirage fighter pilots. Ukrainian pilots are credited with dozens of downed aerial targets," the message says.
Massive Russian attack on Ukraine
On the night of April 24, Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine. Kyiv, Kharkiv, and the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia came under fire.
In Kyiv, the Sviatoshynskyi district was hit the hardest - a residential building was partially destroyed. Rescuers are working at the scene, and debris is still being cleared. According to the latest data, nine people were killed in the capital and more than 70 injured, including children.
In Kharkiv, according to the mayor, Russians launched 24 attacks overnight. There were hits in residential areas, and two people were injured.
