Ukraine Repels Most Massive Air Attack Since War Beginning

26 August, 2024 Tu-95MS strategic bomber. Photo from open sources On the night of Monday, August 26, 2024, Ukraine repelled the most massive air attack since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

This was announced by Mykola Oleshchuk, Air Force Commander. During this attack, the enemy used 236 air assets to strike the territory of Ukraine, including 127 missiles and 109 attack drones. In addition to the common missile weapons that the enemy constantly uses to strike Ukraine, three Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missiles were also used, which were launched from the airspace of the Ryazan and Lipetsk oblasts of Russia.

Infographics of the number of downed enemy air targets.

Photo credits: Ukrainian Air Force

In addition, six Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were launched from the Kursk and Voronezh Russian oblasts and from the temporarily occupied Crimea. Massive launches were carried out using Kh-101 cruise missiles.

77 such missiles were launched by Tu-95MS aircraft from the airspace of the Volgograd oblast and the Caspian Sea region.

28 Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from surface/underwater carriers in the eastern part of the Black Sea, three Kh-22 cruise missiles from the airspace of the Voronezh oblast, and 10 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided missiles from Su-57 and Su-34 aircraft from the airspace of the Belgorod region and from the area of occupied Mariupol. The most massive weapon launched by the enemy was 109 Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones from Prymorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, and Yeysk.

Patriot air defense system of the Ukrainian military. Frame from the video of the Ukrainian Air Force

Due to the operational actions of the air defense of Ukraine, 201 air targets were destroyed: 102 missiles and 99 attack UAVs, including

• 1 Kh-47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missile;
• 1 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile;
• 1 Kh-22 cruise missile;
• 99 Kh-101, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Kh-59/69 guided missiles;
• 99 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs.

Previously, Militarnyi reported that the United States had elevated Ukraine to a priority recipient of anti-aircraft missiles for air defense systems. According to some congressmen, the transfer of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine is critically important amid the constant shelling of Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.

For this reason, the United States will prioritize the transfer of MIM-104 anti-aircraft missiles to the Patriot air defense system, as well as AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems.