6-8-2023 (KYIV) Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched a multiwave overnight attack on the country, employing 70 air-assault weapons, including cruise and hypersonic missiles, as well as Iranian-made drones. The attack, which occurred on Sunday (Aug 6), resulted in at least 10 missiles breaching Ukraine’s air defenses.
According to the Air Force’s Telegram messaging channel, Ukraine’s air defense successfully destroyed 30 out of 40 cruise missiles and all 27 Shahed drones launched by Russia during the overnight assault. Details regarding the three Kinzhal hypersonic missiles used in the attack were not disclosed.
The Air Force stated, “In total, in several waves of attacks, from the evening of Aug 5 to the morning of Aug 6, 2023, the enemy used 70 means of air assault weapons.”
However, Reuters has not independently verified the report, and there has been no immediate comment from Russia.
The extent of the damage caused by the overnight attack and the fate of the 10 cruise missiles that were not intercepted remain unclear.
Serhiy Tiurin, the deputy governor of the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, revealed that one of the targets was the military airfield in Starokostiantyniv. He reported a series of explosions in Starokostiantyniv and Khmelnytskyi communities. While most of the missiles were successfully shot down by Ukraine’s air defense forces, explosions resulted in damage to several private houses, a communal cultural institution, and the bus station. A fire also broke out at a grain silo.
Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat emphasized that the Khmelnytskyi region, particularly the Starokostiantyniv airfield, was one of Russia’s key targets in the overnight attack.
It’s worth noting that Russia had previously targeted the Starokostiantyniv military airfield in the Khmelnytskyi region at the end of July.
