2024-04-22 07:23:58
During a joint operation with the Air Force, Ukrainian forces shot down one of the Tu-22M3 bombers that participated in the missile attack on Ukraine on the night of April 19.
The downed enemy aircraft, which fell about 300 km from Ukraine, suffered the same fate as the Russian A-50 early warning and aerial control aircraft that had been targeted earlier. Despite being hit, the bomber still managed to fly to the Stavropol region before crashing.
This is the first successful takedown of a Russian long-range bomber during an active sortie during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Tu-22M3 deployed at the airbase using suicide drones.
As a result of the Russian strike, 2 people were killed in the city of Dnipro, 6 people were killed in Sinelnykovye, including two children, and 29 residents of the region were injured. Later it became known that another child died in the hospital.
The Ukrainian Air Force also successfully intercepted Russian Kh-22 missiles for the first time.
In the night to 2024 April 19 Russian forces launched a joint missile strike from their Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers, including six Kh-22 cruise missiles, which were launched from the Black and Azov seas.
Of the six missiles aimed at Ukrainian territory, Ukrainian forces managed to destroy two – which is a significant achievement of their defensive capabilities, writes Defense Blog.
“During today’s attack, two such missiles were destroyed for the first time. “Ukraine needs more resources, more missiles to better defend its frontline territory against Russian terrorism,” the Telegram message says.
The Kh-22 is a supersonic cruise missile developed during the Soviet era for use against aircraft carriers and aircraft carrier battle groups armed with conventional or nuclear warheads.
Despite being developed back in the late 1960s, the Kh-22 still poses a significant threat, reaching speeds of up to Mach 3 on approach and exceeding Mach 4 on final stage, posing a significant threat to target areas.
Previously, the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not have the capacity to deal with such missiles, which caused heavy losses and civilian casualties, Defense Blog writes.
2024-04-22 07:23:58