Ukraine downed six out of six Shahed kamikaze drones and six out of 10 cruise missiles launched by Russia in an overnight attack on the country early on Sept. 17, the Ukrainian Air Force reported on its channel on the Telegram messenger app.
The drones were shot down by Ukrainian mobile air defense systems and by fighter aircraft, the air force said. It also posted video of the launch of an anti-aircraft missile being launched and hitting a cruise missile over Odesa Oblast, causing a large explosion in the air.
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Earlier, it was reported that nine Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers had left Olenya air base in the north of Russia, headed south to firing positions. The bombers launched 10 cruise missiles – a mix of Kh-101, Kh-555 and Kh-55 cruise missiles, the air force said.
The cruise missiles were launched from the bombers near the Russian city of Engels, Saratov Oblast, about 600 kilometers from the nearest part of Ukrainian-controlled territory, the air force added.
The missile launches occurred at about 4.20 a.m., causing much of the east, south, north and center oblasts of the country to issue air raid alert warnings. Missiles were reported to have entered Ukrainian airspace at around 4.50 a.m.
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In addition to the cruise missiles, six Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones were launched from the southeast and south of Ukraine (from Russia’s Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Chauda Cape in Russian-occupied Crimea). All were shot down.
The cruise missiles maneuvered extensively before starting to home in on Odesa Oblast, where an agricultural enterprise was hit. At least one missile then headed in the direction of Vinnytsia Oblast and the Khmelnytsky Oblast.
There were no reports of any other missile strikes, while there were unconfirmed reports on social media that a missile had been shot down over Vinnytsia Oblast.
The air raid sirens sounded in the city of Kyiv at 4.51 a.m., but no Russian cruise missiles or drones approached the Ukrainian capital.
The all-clear sounded in Kyiv at 6.51 a.m. and shortly after across the entire country.
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