Russia continues to launch major missile strikes on Ukraine. It increasingly uses drones and ballistic missiles in particular to target Kyiv.
Russia’s major strikes on Ukraine: what happened today
On Monday, Russia hit Ukraine with daytime attacks after overnight strikes. In a daily report on Monday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said: “At night, the enemy fired air-launched cruise missiles Kh-101/Kh-555 and Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 drones [at Ukraine]. [Regional] air forces in cooperation with other components of Ukraine’s defense forces destroyed 36 out of 40 cruise missiles Kh-101/Kh-555 and 30 out of 38 Shahed-136/131 attack drones. In the afternoon, the enemy used cruise and ballistic missiles from the Iskander operational-tactical missile system against civilian and critical infrastructure in Kyiv. The Air Force of Ukraine destroyed 11 out of 11 rockets.”
In the past day, Russian forces made 53 air strikes and launched 20 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems, the report said.
Russia launches missiles against civilian targets in central Kyiv to intimidate the Ukrainians, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Malyar said. “[Russia] launches missiles on civilian sites in central Kyiv as a weapon of psychological warfare, mainly aiming to intimidate [the Ukrainians]. Kyiv is not just the capital for the Ukrainians, but also a symbol of tenacity and resistance. Russia’s strikes at Kyiv are meant to show vulnerability of the city that embodies resilience. The enemy wants the Ukrainians to create a subconscious belief that the capital is unguarded,” Malyar said on Telegram.
Russia has increased missile strikes after it built up its stock of missiles, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command Colonel Yuriy Ihnat told a news conference on Monday.
Russia launches strikes that use a combination of drones and missiles, Ihnat added.
“The enemy possibly paused [attacks] in spring to accumulate missile stock. Unfortunately, they produce them domestically,” he said.
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