In the early hours of March 24, Russia executed a significant combined assault on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, deploying a total of 426 aerial attack assets, including drones and missiles. Ukrainian Air Force officials reported that their air defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed 25 missiles and 365 drones during the operation.
The aerial attack involved various types of weaponry, with the Ukrainian forces documenting the following:
- Seven ballistic missiles from the Iskander-M/S-400 systems, launched from the Kursk region of Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk;
- 18 Kh-101 cruise missiles, fired from the airspace over the Caspian Sea;
- Five Iskander-K cruise missiles, originating from the Bryansk region of Russia;
- Four guided aviation missiles, including types Kh-59/69/31, launched from the Kursk region and the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk;
- 392 strike drones, including models such as Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas, launched from various locations including Bryansk, Kursk, and Crimea, with approximately 250 identified as Shahed drones.
The Ukrainian defense forces employed a range of countermeasures, including aerial units, surface-to-air missile systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups to repel the assault. By 9:00 AM, preliminary reports indicated that Ukrainian air defense had neutralized 390 targets, comprising 25 missiles and 365 drones of various types.
Specifically, the intercepted threats included:
- 18 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
- Five Iskander-K cruise missiles;
- Two guided aviation missiles of types Kh-59/69;
- 365 enemy drones of different models.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that six missiles and 27 drones struck 22 locations, with debris from downed drones falling in 10 areas. The status of three additional enemy missiles is still being verified, as the attack continues and several Russian drones remain active in the airspace.
On March 24, Russia launched a large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine, targeting critical infrastructure with a mix of drones and missiles. Ukrainian air defenses reported significant interceptions, managing to neutralize a substantial number of incoming threats.