Air defence forces shot down 113 weapons used by Russia to attack Ukraine

Air defence forces shot down 113 weapons used by Russia to attack Ukraine

On the night of December 25, Russia launched a new aerial attack on Ukraine, deploying missiles and drones of various types. A total of 184 means of destruction flew toward Ukrainian cities and villages, primarily targeting energy infrastructure, during the night and morning.

Air defence forces shot down 113 aerial targets. The results of the combat operations were reported by the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"On the night of December 25, 2024, Russian occupiers carried out a combined strike on Ukraine’s fuel and energy sector facilities using missiles of various types from air, ground, and sea-based platforms, as well as Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of drone imitators," the report states.

Overall, Ukrainian air defence radars detected 184 aerial targets in Ukrainian airspace, among them:

• 2 KN-23 ballistic missiles (launch area — Voronezh region);
• 10 S-300/S-400 surface-to-air guided missiles (launch area — Belgorod region);
• 12 Kalibr cruise missiles (from the Black Sea waters);

• 50 X-101/X-55cm cruise missiles from strategic bombers Tu-95ms (launch areas — Volgograd region, Caspian Sea);
• 4 X-59/X-69 guided aviation missiles from tactical aircraft (launch areas — Belgorod region);
• 106 Shahed attack UAVs/drone imitators of various types (from Bryansk, Millerovo, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions, Russia).

Anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare equipment, and mobile fire groups of the Air Forces and Defence Forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the air strike.

"As of 12:00, preliminary data confirms the downing of 113 aerial targets: 55 X-101, X-55cm, Kalibr cruise missiles, 4 X-59/X-69 guided aviation missiles; 54 Shahed attack UAVs/drone imitators of various types, with another 52 failing to reach their targets (lost track)," the Air Forces reported.

The Ukrainian Air Forces added that the enemy attacked energy facilities in the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk regions, and Zaporizhzhya.

There are damages as a result of the Russian attack.

"The Air Forces are ready to repel the attack and continue to perform tasks to protect the state’s airspace," the Air Forces assured.

The night was particularly tense in the Cherkasy region. Until morning, the region was terrorized by Russian drones, followed by missiles.

"The evening in Cherkasy was marked by prolonged alarms. Due to Russian UAVs at first, then missiles. The enemy launched another massive attack on Ukraine, particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Within the region, our defenders destroyed two ’Shaheds’. No consequences. However, the situation in the country’s energy system is extremely difficult after the attacks. Blackout schedules have been introduced," said the head of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration, Ihor Taburets.

Over Dnipropetrovsk, air defence forces destroyed more than four dozen missiles.

"Sky defenders shot down 42 missiles today over Dnipropetrovsk. Most of those targeted at the region by the enemy. This is an incredibly strong result," emphasized the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Lysak.