Zircon missiles, Iskanders and 300+ drones: Kyiv region became main target in Russian attack
Photo: Ukraine’s Air Force reveals details of Russia’s overnight attack (Getty Images)
Russian forces launched hundreds of drones and multiple types of missiles at Ukraine overnight on January 20, including Zircon hypersonic missiles, S-300 systems, and Iskander missiles. The main direction of the strike was the Kyiv region, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The attack began on January 19 at 7:00 p.m. local time.
According to the military, the enemy used one Zircon anti-ship missile launched from temporarily occupied Crimea, 18 Iskander-M and S-300 ballistic missiles fired from Russia’s Bryansk and Rostov regions, as well as 15 Kh-101 cruise missiles launched from Russia’s Vologda region.
In addition, Russia attacked Ukraine with 339 strike drones, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmus, and other types of UAVs.
The launches were carried out from Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Shatalovo, and Bryansk in Russia, as well as from Hvardiiske and Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea and from temporarily occupied Donetsk. Around 250 of the drones were Shahed-type UAVs.
The air attack was repelled by Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units, drone systems, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces.
According to preliminary data as of 10:00 a.m., Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 342 aerial targets:
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14 Iskander-M / S-300 ballistic missiles
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13 Kh-101 cruise missiles
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315 enemy UAVs, including Shahed and Gerbera drones, across northern, southern, eastern, and central Ukraine
Five missiles and 24 strike drones hit 11 locations, while debris from downed drones fell in 12 other locations. Information regarding two enemy missiles is still being clarified.
“The attack is ongoing, several enemy UAVs remain in Ukrainian airspace. Follow safety rules,” the Air Force warned.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine
On the night of January 20, Russia carried out a massive missile and drone strike on Kyiv and several other Ukrainian cities, including Rivne, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa, as well as on key energy facilities.
In the capital, 5,635 apartment buildings remain without heating following the attack, while the entire left bank of Kyiv has been left without water.
In the Rivne region, residential buildings and vehicles were damaged, and more than 10,000 consumers were left without electricity.
A critical infrastructure facility was hit in the Vinnytsia region, with emergency services currently working at the site.
More details on Russia’s missile and drone attack can be found in RBC-Ukraine’s report.
Everything known about the strike on Kyiv is available in the RBC-Ukraine article.
