The list apparently does not include all missiles that fell on Ukrainian territory. An advisor to Selenski spoke of 120 missiles. A Kremlin-affiliated publicist accused Kyiv of pretending to use the low figure for its own kill rate.
In Kyiv, three people were injured when parts of launched projectiles or interceptor missiles fell on apartment buildings. However, according to Ukrainian sources, none of the 16 cruise missiles aimed at the capital reached their target.
Nevertheless, 40 percent of households in Kyiv were temporarily without electricity. According to the city administration, this was a precautionary measure and not a consequence of the shelling.
The goal was the Ukrainian energy supply
The energy supply was hit harder in the western part of the country and in other large cities, where some of the grids were shut down in an emergency: 9 out of 10 residents of Lviv initially sat in the dark, and in Kharkiv the metro stopped operating.
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The Odessa region reported the launch of 21 missiles, but also problems with water and electricity supplies. This infrastructure was severely damaged in an attack at the beginning of December and the Russians apparently arrived again at a central substation for supply. Nationwide, however, the attacks had less serious consequences than previous ones.
There are indications that the Ukrainians were better prepared. In the early hours of the morning, for example, the authorities warned of detailed attack plans, for example on missile ships in the Black Sea. They also published periods of time in which the rockets were expected to hit individual cities. The better information policy is possibly due to improved observation opportunities through newly delivered western air defense systems.
There is also evidence that the Ukrainians launched counterattacks at the same time as the Russian attacks. Russian journalists reported the destruction by drones of an S-300 air defense system in the Bryansk region near the border. There is no official confirmation of this.
There is mounting evidence that Russia is using recently manufactured missiles and much older missiles with dummy warheads to encourage air defense fire. Michael Kofman, US military analyst
Air defense was also active over the Russian military airfield Engels-2, several hundred kilometers from Ukraine, and falling debris damaged houses. However, it remained unclear whether the Ukrainians had launched an unmanned aerial vehicle attack on the base for the third time in a month, or whether the shelling was a mistake.
A missile fell on Belarusian territory without causing damage. Belarus government claims they are from Ukraine. So far this has not been proven.
Missiles desperately wanted
Military bloggers close to the Kremlin claim that Russia has also adjusted its tactics: In the last two waves of attacks, Ukrainian air defense systems were increasingly targeted. They published videos of explosions that seem to document at least one such case. Such a strategy is plausible, but the question arises as to why it is only now being chosen.
However, the availability of missiles poses problems for both sides. Western experts judge the hope that the Russians could run out of cruise missiles to be overly optimistic. Still, according to US military analyst Michael Kofman, there are some indications that stocks have declined sharply.
Both the Ukrainians and the Russians are running out of missiles.
(Photo: dpa)
“There is mounting evidence that Russia is using recently manufactured missiles and much older missiles with dummy warheads to encourage air defense fire,” Kofman said. Ukrainian sources reported that at least one missile in the recent attack dates back to 2022.
But the missile supply is also an increasing problem for Kyiv. The Ukrainians depend on the West, which can and only wants to deliver to a limited extent. There is also the problem that shooting down the Iranian kamikaze drones with conventional defense batteries is difficult and extremely inefficient. A single rocket for the German Iris-T system costs half a million euros – more than twenty times that of an Iranian kamikaze drone.
To defuse this military and financial dilemma, Ukrainians differentiate their defenses. On Thursday, videos appeared online showing mobile troops launching Russian missiles with shoulder-launched stingers. SUVs with mounted machine guns were also seen targeting Iranian drones.
Ukraine is working on automatic drones
Although these improvised means are not a substitute for modern air defense, the Ukrainians, who are technically inferior to Russia, are doing better than expected in this difficult field. In any case, there is no lack of ambition for their own systems: The Minister for Digital Transformation, Mikhail Fedorov, explained in an interview that work is being done on drones that could combat Iranian drones in the air.
“As early as February or March, the situation regarding drones will change dramatically,” said Fedorov. It is true that skepticism about such statements is announced. But if he were right, the everyday life of millions of Ukrainians would be significantly easier – and Russia’s sharpest weapon would become blunt.
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