Russia's massive missile strike: Ukraine's defiant defence

In a coordinated, massive attack on Ukrainian territory, Russia employed a combination of 210 flying devices, comprising 120 missiles and 90 drones. The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed on Sunday morning that the primary target was energy infrastructure.

"Massive combined attack on all regions of Ukraine. Overnight and in the morning, Russian terrorists used various types of drones, including Shaheds. Cruise missiles, ballistic and aerial: Zircon, Iskander, Kinzhal. In total, approximately 120 missile rockets and 90 drones. Our air defence forces destroyed over 140 aerial targets," he wrote on Telegram.

Zelensky stated that the energy infrastructure was the principal target of these attacks. Many facilities were damaged both directly by the missiles and by shrapnel. The President of Ukraine claims that in Mykolaiv, Russian drones killed two people and injured six, including two children. There were power outages in some areas, and services are already working to restore supply.

On Sunday, the Air Forces of Ukraine reported that they managed to shoot down 144 of the 210 drones and missiles launched by Russia during the intense missile attack on Ukraine. Out of 120 missiles and 90 drones, 102 missiles and 42 drones were shot down.

The Russian army used Kinzhal missiles, more than one hundred Ch-101 and Kalibr cruise missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and other missiles, including one hypersonic Zircon missile intended for ship attacks.

The CH-47M2 Kinzhal is a missile approximately 7 metres in length and about 1 metre in diameter. It weighs 4,500 kilograms and can reach speeds of about 8 Mach, or roughly 9,800 km/h. Its range is about 2,000 kilometres.

The Ch-101 cruise missiles are approximately 7 metres long and weigh around 2,400 kilograms. They have the capacity to carry a warhead weighing 480 kilograms over a distance exceeding 4,500 kilometres. To ensure precision, the designers have equipped it with advanced guidance systems.

Particularly, the missile's specifications include a satellite navigation module, inertial navigation, and a radio altimeter. Additionally, it has an optical system that allows it to "observe" the terrain during flight and compare it with a pre-defined route stored in its memory.

The 3M14 Kalibr are cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometres. These missiles, just over 6 metres long, are constructed as winged and powered by a turbojet engine. Their specific feature is the ability to fly at very low altitudes, just a few metres above ground or water. This allows them to evade air defences, even though they achieve a cruising speed of about 950 km/h, equivalent to Mach 0.8.

Equipped with conventional warheads weighing 450 kilograms, they can also be adapted to carry thermonuclear warheads. An advanced navigation system combining inertial and satellite technology makes their precise targeting possible.

During the attacks on Ukraine, Russia employed the Iskander-M system, which enables the firing of ballistic missiles over 7 metres long and nearly 1 metre in diameter. Depending on the load used, these missiles can weigh from 3,000 to nearly 5,000 kilograms.

The range of Iskander missiles is up to 500 kilometres, which is impressive in itself, but the biggest challenge for air defence is their speed. These missiles can reach altitudes of up to 50 kilometres and move at hypersonic speeds ranging from Mach 6 to 7, equivalent to speeds from about 7,350 km/h to approximately 8,600 km/h.

Almost the entire Ukrainian missile defence system was engaged, covering actions in all regions of the country.

Authorities in the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa regions also reported fatalities. Local authorities reported that the attacks damaged power grids, heating systems, and railway infrastructure.