Air Defense down 22 missiles; 2 Kh-22s shot down for the first time overnight

Overnight into April 19, when repelling a combined attack by the russian army, the air defense forces of Ukraine shot down 22 missiles of various types, including two Kh-22 cruise missiles and 14 attack drones.

This follows from a statement by Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk posted on Telegram.

According to him, in total, the russians used 36 means of air attack - 22 missiles of various types and 14 attack drones:

• 2 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 MS strategic aviation aircraft (Ryazan launch area, RF);
• 14 attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type (from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai, and Kursk Oblast, RF.);
• 12 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles (Kursk Oblast and from the waters of the Sea of Azov);
• 2 Iskander-K cruise missiles (from Crimea);
• 6 Kh-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers (from the waters of the Black and Azov Seas).

Anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the air attack.

As a result of anti-aircraft combat, 29 air targets were destroyed:

• 2 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles;
• 14 attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type;
• 11 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles;
• 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles.

"For the first time, the anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, destroyed the Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber - the carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles, which russian terrorists use to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities. During today's attack, two such missiles were destroyed for the first time," Oleshchuk noted.