KYIV, UKRAINE - Ukraine's air defences intercepted 32 out of 35 exploding Shahed drones, most of which were aimed at the Kyiv region, launched by Russia early on Tuesday. This three-hour drone assault, which primarily targeted the Ukrainian capital, exposed the vulnerabilities in the country's air protection system after nearly 16 months of conflict.
The aerial attack was part of a larger offensive by Russia that extended even to the Lviv region in the western part of Ukraine, close to Poland. The Shahed drones reached Lviv due to the limited coverage of air defence assets over such a vast area, stated Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat.
So What Does This Mean?
Ihnat added that air defence systems are primarily focused on safeguarding major cities, vital infrastructure facilities, including nuclear power plants, and the front line. The need for a comprehensive protective 'dome' like Israel's Iron Dome system was underscored due to the insufficient air defence assets to cover a country of Ukraine's size.
In the Lviv region, a Russian strike hit a critical infrastructure facility, resulting in a fire, according to Lviv Governor Maksym Kozytskyi. Southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region also fell victim to Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The Ukrainian air defences, now reinforced with advanced weaponry from Western allies, have been more successful recently in intercepting incoming drones and missiles. Past winter bombings by Russia had disrupted Ukraine's power supply, but swift repairs helped mitigate the Kremlin's efforts.
These latest aerial attacks coincide with the initial stages of Ukraine's counteroffensive to expel Kremlin's forces from territories seized during Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive is up against heavily mined terrains and bolstered defensive fortifications, noted Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces.
Zaluzhnyi also pointed out that Russia has amassed a large number of reserves. He made these comments while visiting front-line positions with other high-ranking officers. Intense battles are underway in eastern Ukraine, particularly around Bakhmut, Lyman, Avdiivka, and Marinka. Russian shelling of 15 cities and villages in the eastern Donetsk region injured five civilians.
The counteroffensive operation continues as planned, and Ukrainian soldiers are doing everything possible to reclaim Ukrainian territory, despite the fierce resistance, Zaluzhnyi's post further added.
In other developments, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) extended an invitation to Ukrainian diplomats and their families abroad to come to Russia to avoid returning to Ukraine. Also, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Ukraine plans to use U.S.-made HIMARS and U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to attack Russian territory, including the unlawfully annexed Crimean Peninsula. He issued a warning that deploying those missiles outside the current war zone would prompt immediate strikes on decision-making centres within Ukraine.
The cost of million dollar missiles is still a problem. A Shaheid Drone costs much less. F-14s which we have several thousand. Would be a cheaper way to knock down these pesky mosquitoes. I figure a fleet of 200 planes to start. Daily Combat Air patrol is needed.
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