On a day when Ukraine sought to commemorate the VE Day and remember its historical struggle against Nazism, the nation was faced with a harsh reminder of its current battle for survival. Ukrainian forces demonstrated resilience and capability as they successfully countered a significant part of a massive aerial attack launched by Russian forces. This multi-pronged assault saw a combination of 55 missiles and 21 drones target critical infrastructure across several regions, including Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, and Vinnytsia oblasts.
With a reported interception of 39 missiles and 20 drones, Ukrainian air defenses proved critical in mitigating the damage and showcasing the determined defense of their national sovereignty. Among the intercepted armaments were 33 Kh-101 cruise missiles, four Kalibr cruise missiles, two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and a barrage of Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones. Despite the effectiveness of Ukraine’s response, Russia also utilized a variety of other missiles in its attack arsenal, including a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and an Iskander-K cruise missile, which Ukrainian forces were unable to down.
These attacks caused extensive damage to three thermal power plants owned by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company. They marked the fifth such attack against the company’s facilities in the last month and a half. The energy sector has borne the brunt of this campaign, with the nation’s energy minister urging responsible electricity use in light of ongoing and persistent attacks on power generation and transmission facilities.
The scale and frequency of these attacks have drawn international concern, as well as regional unease. Poland, Ukraine’s neighbor to the west, found itself on high alert, scrambling its fighter jets due to Russia’s missile attacks on Ukraine. Despite Russian missiles previously violating Poland’s airspace, the Polish Air Force has maintained a defensive posture, committing to intercept only if missiles were perceived as threatening Polish territory directly.
Amidst the backdrop of relentless attacks, it is Ukraine’s persistent counter-efforts that have garnered attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the immediate actions of necessary services working to eliminate the consequences of the offensive. “The whole world has to clearly understand who is who. The entire world has no right to give Nazism another chance,” he added.
Relevant articles:
– Ukraine Downed 39 out of 55 Russian Missiles in Massive Attack , Newsweek, 05/08/2024
– ‘Kyiv Never Bombed and Russians Are Dying’ – Russian Wife Complains About Kremlin, Kyiv Post, 05/08/2024
– Air Force: Ukraine downs 39 missiles, 20 drones overnight, Kyiv Independent, 05/08/2024
– Polish aircraft scrambled at night again due to Russian large-scale attack on Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda, 05/08/2024
– Russia Launches Overnight Missile Attack, Targets Critical Infrastructure Across Ukraine, Kyiv Post, 05/08/2024