In a coordinated assault on February 17, Russian military forces targeted multiple regions in Ukraine using drones and various missile types. Cities including Odesa, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Burshtyn, and Zaporizhzhia experienced explosions as the attack unfolded.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 29 missiles and 396 drones were launched during the assault. Initial assessments indicated that four ballistic missiles and 18 drones successfully struck their targets. By 9:30 AM, air defense units had reportedly intercepted or neutralized 392 aerial threats.
Regarding the interception capabilities, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat stated that while the Patriot air defense system can intercept ballistic missiles, it must be positioned correctly at the right time and location to be effective. Unfortunately, this time, four ballistic missiles were not intercepted due to specific circumstances.
“In terms of numbers, all cruise missiles have been destroyed. These included Kh-101 missiles and ground-based Iskander missiles, plus one aviation missile,” Ihnat added, highlighting the effectiveness of the defense against cruise threats.
Despite the challenges in intercepting ballistic missiles, he emphasized that the Patriot system can succeed under optimal conditions, but this particular instance did not yield successful interceptions.
On February 17, Russian forces launched a significant attack on various Ukrainian cities, employing drones and missiles. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept a large number of aerial threats, although some ballistic missiles were not successfully neutralized.