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Ukraine Downs Over 4,700 Aerial Targets in June, Including 2,400+ Shahed Drones
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine’s air defense forces destroyed 4,750 aerial targets in June, including thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force reported on Telegram on July 1.
Among the intercepted threats were dozens of Russian missiles and a record volume of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), highlighting the continued intensity of Russia’s aerial assault campaign—and Ukraine’s increasingly capable defensive response.
According to the Air Force, Ukrainian air defense systems successfully neutralized the following aerial threats in June:
93 Kh-101 and Kh-555 cruise missiles;
14 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
12 Kalibr cruise missiles;
13 Kh-59/69 guided air-to-surface missiles;
27 Iskander-K cruise missiles;
2,453 Shahed-type one-way attack drones;
659 reconnaissance UAVs;
1,479 other types of drones.
This marked one of the most drone-saturated months of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with over half of all intercepted targets being Shahed drones, commonly launched in nightly swarms to overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses.
In addition to its defensive operations, Ukraine’s combat aviation carried out 895 combat missions in June, including:
Around 580 for fighter air cover missions;
Over 220 for strike operations and close air support of ground forces.
These missions collectively destroyed 646 airborne targets and struck numerous high-value Russian assets.
“Throughout the month, Ukrainian Air Force units hit enemy command posts, logistical infrastructure, and concentrations of troops and military equipment,” the Air Force statement read.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia was forced to employ Tu-160 strategic bombers to launch a wave of Kh-101 cruise missiles against targets across Ukraine—a move that points to an increasingly acute shortage of the Tu-95MSM aircraft typically used for such operations.
