Ukraine downs 161 of 287 Russian missiles, drones in mass aerial attack
Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 out of 94 missiles and 80 out of the 193 drones launched by Russia early on Dec. 13, the Air Force said.
Russian forces carried out one of the largest aerial strikes against Ukraine, damaging energy facilities across multiple regions.
Moscow deployed four Kinzhal air-launched missiles, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, one Kh-23 North Korean ballistic missile, 55 Kh-101 and Kh-55SM cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS bomber planes, 24 sea-launched Kalibr missiles, seven Iskander-K cruise missiles, and one Kh-59/69 missile, the Air Force said.
The 193 deployed drones included Shahed-type kamikaze drones and unmanned aerial vehicles of an unknown type. Apart from the 80 drones that were shot down, 105 reportedly failed to reach their targets thanks to electronic warfare measures.
Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets were involved in intercepting Russian projectiles, reportedly downing 11 missiles.
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast suffered the "most massive attack during the full-scale war," Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk announced. Cruise missiles and drones struck critical infrastructure facilities in the region, with no casualties reported at the moment.
Regional authorities reported impacts, although specific damage details remain undisclosed.
As Russian missiles and drones entered western Ukraine, the Polish Air Force scrambled fighter jets in precautionary measures, continuing its standard protocol during Russian mass strikes near the border.
The attack underscores the ongoing threat to Ukraine’s critical infrastructure as winter intensifies, with the Defense Forces maintaining robust air defenses against escalating aerial assaults.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
