Russia escalates war with destructive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine
Ukrainian authorities and media report another masked attack by the Russians. On the morning of April 11, the invaders attacked several Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure facilities. They used drones as well as missiles launched from their most dangerous and powerful aircraft.
Anton Gerashchenko, via the X service, reported that the Russians attacked several Ukrainian regions - Kharkiv, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Lviv. They used at least 40 Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 strike drones, 20 different cruise missiles, 12 anti-aircraft guided missiles launched from S-300 systems, and even Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
Masked attack by the Russians. What weapon did they use?
The use of such an arsenal means that MiG-31K fighter jets and Tu-95MS strategic bombers were deployed. These are machines that the Russians primarily use during large, organized, and well-planned attacks.
The MiG-31K is a supersonic heavy interceptor fighter. When an air raid alarm is raised, it is deployed across the entire territory of Ukraine. This is due to the mentioned Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which it is adapted to carry. Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles have a range of as much as about 2,000 km. Each of these missiles measures about 7 metres in length and weighs over 4 tonnes. It is capable of reaching speeds of even Mach 8-10.
Strategic bombers Tu-95MS pose no less a threat than the MiG-31K fighter jets. These machines measure almost 50 metres in length. A very big challenge for the Ukrainians related to them are the Kh-101 cruise missiles. This is one of the newest weapons in the Russian arsenal. They are made using stealth technology. They measure about 7.4 metres in length and weigh about 2.4 tonnes. Their range is up to 4,500 km.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already commented on the Russian attack. He thanked the soldiers for their efforts related to the defence of Ukraine and noted that some of the enemy drones and missiles were shot down. However, many hit the targets chosen by the Russians, which is a consequence of shortages in air defence systems.
"Each of our neighbours in Europe, each of our partners sees how critically Ukraine needs air defence. It is here, now, thanks to our ability to overcome Russian terror, the world can prove that everyone perceives terror in the same way as a crime" - commented the Ukrainian president.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian authorities have issued appeals mainly related to Patriot air defence systems. Western allies have great difficulty finding additional free batteries that could be sent to the front. German politicians declared at the last NATO summit that they are making efforts to find this weapon for Ukraine's needs worldwide.
