Russia’s latest attack on Kyiv was exceptionally deadly, killing at least 30 people. The assault, which occurred on Thursday, was the third deadliest against the Ukrainian capital since the start of the war.
Russia’s Tactics
Ukraine has endured hundreds of large-scale aerial attacks, but the assault this week was exceptionally lethal, in part because of the targets Moscow chose – residential buildings – and the weapons it used, including ballistic missiles, loitering munitions, and jet-powered drones.
Jet-powered drones like the Geran-4 UAV are a relatively new addition to Russia’s arsenal, having been first spotted around the start of the year. They can fly at speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour (310 miles per hour), evading Ukraine’s defenses.
Ukrainian Response
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Friday that more than 90% of cruise missiles and 90% of Shahed-type strike drones were intercepted during the attack. However, intercepting ballistic missiles remains a major challenge because, while Ukraine does have several Patriot batteries, it is facing a persistent shortage of missiles for them.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
