Russia Launches 236 Missiles and Drones in Largest Attack on Ukraine Yet

On Monday, August 26, 2024, Russia launched a massive coordinated attack against critical infrastructure in Ukraine, targeting the country’s fuel and energy sectors with an array of missiles and drones. This assault, described as one of the most extensive to date, saw the launch of 236 aerial threats, including 127 missiles and 109 attack drones.

According to Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian forces employed a variety of air, land, and sea-launched weapons. These included:

• 3 Kinzhal Kh-47M2 hypersonic missiles launched from Ryazan and Lipetsk regions of Russia.

• 6 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles fired from Kursk, Voronezh regions in Russia, and Crimea.

• 77 Kh-101 cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS bombers over the Volgograd region and the Caspian Sea.

• 28 Kalibr cruise missiles fired from surface and submarine vessels in the eastern part of the Black Sea.

• 3 Kh-22 cruise missiles from Voronezh region airspace.

• 10 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air-launched missiles deployed from Su-57 and Su-34 aircraft over Belgorod region and Mariupol.

Additionally, 109 Shahed-131/136 drones were launched from various locations, including Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Yeisk in Russia, and Chauda in Crimea.

Ukraine’s air defense forces, employing a combination of aviation, surface-to-air missile systems, mobile fire units, and electronic warfare, managed to intercept and destroy 201 aerial threats. This included 102 missiles and 99 attack drones. Among the intercepted were:

• 1 Kinzhal Kh-47M2 hypersonic missile.

• 1 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile.

• 1 Kh-22 cruise missile.

• 99 cruise missiles, including Kh-101, Kalibr, and Kh-59/69 guided missiles.

• 99 Shahed-131/136 drones.

Despite these successes, several drones were reported lost within Ukrainian territory, and two crossed into Belarusian airspace.

Following the attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy convened a meeting of the Commander-in-Chief’s Staff to assess the situation. The meeting focused on the restoration of the energy infrastructure, the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air defense systems, and the ongoing military operations on the front lines.

Zelenskyy emphasized that while the immediate task is to repair and clear the affected energy facilities, it is crucial to enhance the defensive measures, particularly in regions targeted by cluster munitions used by Russian forces. This work includes the deployment of sappers to clear unexploded ordnance before repairs can begin.