Ukraine Air Defenses Successfully Shoot Down 29 of 30 Russian Cruise Missiles
Key Highlights :
Ukraine has been in a state of war with Russia since 2014, when Russian forces invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula. The conflict has been ongoing ever since, with no clear resolution in sight. On Thursday, Russia fired 30 cruise missiles against different parts of Ukraine in the latest nighttime test of Ukrainian air defenses. Thankfully, Ukrainian air defenses were able to shoot down 29 of the 30 missiles, with only one missile getting through and striking an industrial building in the southern region of Odesa.
The incident comes amid recently intensified Russian air assaults and talks between China's special envoy and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week in Kyiv. China has proposed a peace plan, but so far, no breakthrough has been made. Zelenskyy has proposed his own peace plan, which includes the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian forces, and holding Russian President Vladimir Putin legally accountable for the invasion in February 2022.
Leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations are gathering in Japan on Thursday to discuss the war in Ukraine and pledge to keep helping Ukraine fight Moscow. According to a Western official, Russia has built “potentially formidable” defensive lines on Ukrainian territory, including extensive minefields, and has more than 200,000 troops along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.
Ukraine has been receiving sophisticated weapons systems from its Western allies, and the Kremlin has started losing warplanes in areas previously deemed as safe. Kyiv has also proven able to shoot down Russia’s hypersonic ballistic missiles — the most advanced weapons in Moscow’s arsenal.
Meanwhile, Kremlin-installed authorities in occupied Crimea reported the derailment of eight train cars Thursday because of an explosion, prompting renewed suspicions about possible Ukrainian saboteur activity behind Russian lines. Russian state media reported that the train was carrying grain, and the state news agency RIA Novosti, quoting a source within the emergency services, said the incident occurred not far from the city of Simferopol.
Overnight, loud explosions were heard in Kyiv as the Kremlin’s forces targeted the capital for the ninth time this month. Debris fell on two Kyiv districts, starting a fire at a garage complex. Ukraine also shot down two Russian exploding drones and two reconnaissance drones.
The missiles were launched from Russian sea, air and ground bases, according to General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Ukrainian commander in chief. Several waves of missiles were aimed at areas of Ukraine between 9 p.m. Wednesday and 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
Russia then deployed reconnaissance drones over the capital. In the last major air attack on Kyiv, on Tuesday, Ukrainian air defenses bolstered by sophisticated Western-supplied systems shot down all the incoming missiles, officials said.
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for over five years, with no resolution in sight. However, thanks to the successful shooting down of 29 of the 30 Russian cruise missiles fired on Thursday, the Ukrainian air defenses have proven their strength and resilience. It is clear that the Ukrainian military is capable of defending its citizens from the threat of Russian aggression. As leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations gather to discuss the war and pledge to keep helping Ukraine fight Moscow, it is important to remember the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of this ongoing conflict.
