Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —Ukraine’s air defenders say they notched up two significant firsts on Friday morning, taking down a Russian Tu22M3 strategic bomber and hitting two Kh-22 hypersonic cruise missiles in flight.
Ukraine’s air force said six Kh-22 missiles were launched overnight from Russian bombers flying over the Black Sea and the nearby Sea of Azov – out of a total of 22 missiles and 14 Shahed drones fired overall.
A military source told CNN a Patriot air defense system had been responsible for the two successful Kh-22 interceptions.
Russia has fired hundreds of them at Ukrainian targets since the start of the full-scale invasion two years ago, according to air force information – all of which had evaded air defense until now.
Anatolii Stepanov/AFP/Getty ImagesFatalities in Dnipropetrovsk regionAs well as the six Kh-22 missiles fired overnight, Russia fired 16 other missiles at Ukraine, including two Iskander K cruise missiles, in addition to 14 Shahed drones.
Persons:
Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Anatolii Stepanov
Organizations:
Ukraine CNN —, CNN, Patriot, Defense Intelligence, ” Russia’s Defense Ministry, Tass, Kyiv, Getty
Locations:
Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Dnipropetrovsk, Azov, Russia, Germany, Soviet, Russia’s Stavropol, Dnipro, AFP, Dnipropetrovsk region, Synelnykove