On the night of April 19, 2024, Russian troops launched a combined attack using 36 missiles and drones, but Ukrainian air defense systems successfully destroyed 29 of them, including for the first time a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber with two X-22 cruise missiles, the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, said on Friday, UNN reports.
Details
According to him, on the night of April 19, 2024, the Russian occupiers launched a combined attack with missiles of various types and attack UAVs.
"In total, the enemy used 36 means of air attack - 22 missiles of various types and 14 attack drones," Oleshchuk said in his telegram channel and listed them:
- 2 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 MS strategic aviation aircraft (Ryazan launch area - Russian Federation);
- 14 "Shahed-131/136" attack UAVs (from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk region - Russian Federation);
- 12 X-59/X-69 guided missiles (Kursk region and from the Sea of Azov);
- 2 Iskander-K cruise missiles (from Crimea);
- 6 X-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers (from the Black and Azov Seas).
According to him, anti-aircraft missile troops of the Air Force, mobile fire groups and electronic warfare units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were involved in repelling the enemy air attack.
"As a result of anti-aircraft combat, 29 air targets were destroyed: 2 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles; 14 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs; 11 X-59/X-69 guided missiles; 2 X-22 cruise missiles," Oleshchuk said.
For the first time, anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force in cooperation with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber, a carrier of X-22 cruise missiles used by Russian terrorists to hit peaceful Ukrainian cities. During today's attack, two such missiles were destroyed for the first time,
"Ukraine needs more weapons, more missiles to better protect the frontline territories from Russian terrorism," Oleshchuk emphasized.
Air defense is "a matter of life and death" for Ukraine - Kuleba4/18/24, 12:45 PM