Kyiv attacked by drones and missiles from multiple directions, air defence shot down part of the targets
On the night of 9 January, Russian forces carried out a massive attack on Kyiv, using drones and missiles from multiple directions. Simultaneously intercepting such a large number of targets is extremely difficult.
This was reported by Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, during a TV marathon.
According to Ihnat, the attacks came simultaneously from several directions.
"Decisions must be made both by military command bodies and by servicemen operating either anti-aircraft missile systems, interceptor drones, or mobile fire groups. Everyone is working; the air defence system functions as a layered system. But simultaneously intercepting such a large number of missiles in a single location is extremely, extremely challenging with high efficiency," the spokesperson explained.
The air defence forces managed to shoot down 8 of 13 ballistic missiles, which is considered a high success rate. Of 22 launched Kalibr cruise missiles, 10 were intercepted. Ihnat noted that the main problem is the shortage of missiles for ground-based complexes.
"To repel an attack in a region, for example Kyiv or Kyiv Oblast, ground-based complexes need anti-aircraft missiles capable of intercepting both ballistic and cruise missiles. Aviation cannot operate in the same area where ground air defence is active. That is why the missile issue will always remain relevant for us, and they will always be needed, which we constantly emphasise to our partners, as the head of state also highlights," Yurii Ihnat added.
On the night of 9 January (from 07:30 p.m. on 8 January), the enemy carried out a combined strike on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure facilities using attack UAVs, as well as sea- and land-launched missiles.
Russian terrorist forces conducted a massive strike on residential areas of Kyiv, causing damage to civilian objects in several districts of the capital, including Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, Desnianskyi, Pecherskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi.
