Ukrainian air defense claims two major victories, but 7 killed by missiles evading interception
Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN) — Ukraine’s air defense forces say they achieved two significant feats on Friday morning, after shooting down a Russian Tu22M3 strategic bomber and shooting down two Kh-22 hypersonic cruise missiles in flight.
News of these mid-flight interceptions would be a major boost for the Ukrainian military, which has been struggling to deal with Russia’s increased use of combined missile and drone strikes in recent months, as evidenced by reports coming from the Dnipropetrovsk region. Where, according to officials, the latest Russian attack has killed seven people, including two children.
The Ukrainian Air Force said six Kh-22 missiles were launched overnight from Russian bombers flying over the Black Sea and the nearby Sea of Azov, bringing the total to 22 missiles and 14 downed drones. A military source told CNN that the Patriot air defense system had successfully intercepted the Kh-22 missiles.
Originally designed to attack ships, the missiles can fly at speeds of up to 4,000 km/h, making them particularly difficult to intercept. According to information from the Air Force, Russia has fired hundreds of shots at Ukrainian targets since the full-scale offensive began two years ago, all of which had so far escaped air defense.
The American-designed Patriot system is a priority for Ukraine, which is believed to have only three such units, with a fourth recently promised by Germany. President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to emphasize the need for more such systems when he addresses NATO defense ministers in a virtual meeting this Friday.
According to Ukraine, Russian strategic bomber was shot down
Unlike the Kh-22 intercepted, the Tu22M3 bomber was shot down by a Soviet-era S-200 air defense system, a Ukrainian military source told CNN.
The strategic bomber was shot down after launching missiles at Ukrainian targets and was attacked about 186 miles (300 km) from Ukraine, according to a statement from Defense Intelligence in Kiev.
According to the statement, the plane fell over Stavropol, a Russian territory located east of the Black Sea. The statement described it as “the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during a combat mission since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
According to the Tass news agency, Russia’s Defense Ministry said the accident was caused by a “technical failure”. Three people on board the plane were rescued, while a fourth crew member is missing.
Kiev has recently had other successes against large Russian military aircraft, notably shooting down two A-50 reconnaissance aircraft in separate attacks over the same area of the Black Sea in January and February.
Ukrainian rescue workers work in the courtyard of a damaged residential building in Dnipro on April 19, 2024. Credit: Anatoly Stepanov/AFP/Getty Images
Deaths in Dnipropetrovsk region
In addition to the six Kh-22 missiles launched overnight, Russia fired 16 other missiles at Ukraine, including two Iskander K cruise missiles, as well as 14 Shaheed drones. The Air Force said all but seven air strike weapons were intercepted.
The main targets were in the Dnipropetrovsk region in the south-east of the country, where officials said seven people were killed.
According to a regional official, two of the dead were children, aged 14 and 8. According to official information, his death occurred in the town of Sinelnikovo, where more than a dozen private houses were attacked.