Ignat described the details of the nighttime attack and the air defense operations
Yuriy Ignat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, stated that on the night of May 14, Russia launched one of its most powerful strikes against Ukraine, employing its full arsenal of weapons.
The enemy’s main target was the capital, which the adversary attempted to attack with cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as a large number of various types of drones.
According to the spokesperson, the occupiers used the recent lull to amass resources in order to launch a massive, relentless strike against Ukrainian defenders.
“The enemy has been attacking with great intensity for nearly a day now. There was much talk about this the day before, following the so-called ‘ceasefire.’ They evidently used it to amass resources and strike with them, essentially without stopping,” Ignat noted.
The air defense units operated under conditions of extreme strain on personnel and equipment.
Despite physical exhaustion and a large number of targets, the Defense Forces managed to shoot down and neutralize 693 objects, which is a high indicator of effectiveness.
However, the limited number of air defense assets does not allow for the interception of absolutely all enemy missiles during such intense attacks.
A distinctive feature of this night was the enemy’s use not only of the familiar “Shaheds,” but also of jet-powered drones and “Banderole” loitering munitions.
“We are currently enduring the heaviest strikes since the full-scale invasion began, involving cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and various types of drones,” the Air Force spokesperson emphasized during a televised broadcast.
In particular, Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners managed to destroy 12 of the 18 ballistic missiles fired, but six units broke through the Patriot system’s defenses.
Yuriy Ignat explained that the enemy is well aware of the weaknesses in our air defense and is attempting to deplete our anti-missile reserves as much as possible by concentrating fire in a single direction.
One of the longest air raid alerts in the capital has ended, lasting 7 hours and 52 minutes due to a massive enemy attack.
The State Emergency Service showed the aftermath of Russia’s massive attack on Kyiv
Defense forces shot down 41 missiles and 652 enemy drones
In the Odesa region, two people were injured and port infrastructure was damaged due to the Russian attack
In the Kyiv region, seven people were injured in a Russian attack, including a three-year-old child
