In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a coordinated attack on Ukraine overnight from February 21 to February 22, deploying dozens of missiles and 297 drones of various types. Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted a majority of the incoming threats.
According to military sources, the assault targeted critical infrastructure across Ukraine using a combination of drones, aerial missiles, and ground-based rockets. From 7 PM on February 21 until the early hours of February 22, a total of 345 aerial attack systems were detected.
- 4 anti-ship “Zircon” missiles (launched from the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea);
- 22 ballistic missiles “Iskander-M”/S-400 (fired from Bryansk and Belgorod regions of Russia, as well as the temporarily occupied Donetsk region);
- 18 cruise missiles X-101 (launched from Vologda region, Russia);
- 2 cruise missiles “Iskander-K” (fired from Kursk region);
- 4 guided aviation missiles X-59/69 (launched from Kursk region);
- 297 strike drones, including models like Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas, originating from various locations in Russia and Crimea, with around 200 being Shahed drones.
The primary targets of the assault included regions such as Kyiv, Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Poltava.
Ukrainian defense forces employed aviation, anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups to counter the attack. By 10 AM, preliminary reports indicated that air defenses had downed or suppressed 307 targets, comprising 33 missiles and 274 drones of various types.
- 2 anti-ship “Zircon” missiles;
- 8 ballistic missiles “Iskander-M”/S-400;
- 17 cruise missiles X-101;
- 2 cruise missiles “Iskander-K”;
- 4 guided aviation missiles X-59/69;
- 274 enemy drones of various types.
Incidents of missile impacts were recorded at 14 locations, alongside the debris of downed drones at five sites. Further information regarding several enemy missiles is still being clarified.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the attacks targeted Kyiv and its region, as well as Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, and Sumy. In the Fastiv district of Kyiv, one person was killed, and eight others were injured, including a child.
The strikes primarily aimed at energy infrastructure but also caused damage to residential buildings and railways. Zelenskyy noted, “Moscow continues to invest in strikes more than in diplomacy. Just this week, Russia launched over 1,300 strike drones, more than 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and 96 missiles of various types, including dozens of ballistic missiles.”
He emphasized the urgent need to bolster Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly systems that effectively counter ballistic threats.
Ukraine experienced a large-scale missile and drone assault from Russia, resulting in significant air defense efforts and civilian casualties. President Zelenskyy called for enhanced air defense systems to counter ongoing threats.