Ukraine’s air defense downs Russian Kh-59 missile and 89 drones overnight

Russia launched one of its most massive drone assaults since the start of the year, with all 89 detected UAVs reportedly shot down by Ukrainian defenses.

Jul 31, 2024 - 07:27

Ukraine’s air defense downs Russian Kh-59 missile and 89 drones overnight

Patriot air defense system

Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted and destroyed a Russian Kh-59 guided missile and 89 Shahed-type attack drones during an overnight assault on 31 July, reports the Ukrainian Air Force.

The attack, launched from multiple locations, including occupied Kherson Oblast and Russian territory, primarily targeted Kyiv and the oblast.

This drone assault is described as “one of the most massive attacks” using Shahed-131/136 drones, matching the scale of a previous attack on New Year’s Day 2024. “As then, today Ukrainian air defense withstood and repelled a massive attack by Russian drones,” the report states.

According to the statement, mobile fire groups of all Defense Forces of Ukraine, tactical aviation of the Air Force and army aviation of the Ground Forces, anti-aircraft missile units, and electronic warfare of the Air Force were involved in repelling the air attack.

All 89 Shahed drones detected by Air Force radar units were reportedly shot down. Additionally, a Kh-59 guided missile targeting the Mykolaiv Oblast was intercepted.

The attack originated from multiple launch sites, with the Air Force noting, “The enemy attacked with a Kh-59 guided aviation missile from the airspace of occupied Kherson oblast and 89 Shahed-type attack UAVs from the areas of Yeysk, Seshcha, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk.”

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