On May 8, Ukrainian defense units successfully intercepted and destroyed 59 Russian air targets, according to Mykola Oleschuk, the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Oleschuk reported the details of this defensive success in a statement on Telegram.
The Russian forces initiated a coordinated attack during the night of May 8, employing a variety of missile types and attack drones. In total, the assault involved 76 air attack weapons, consisting of 55 missiles and 21 attack drones.
The offensive included:
One Kh-47M2 "Kinzhal" aeroballistic missile launched from the Tambov region.
Two Iskander-M ballistic missiles from the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Four Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea.
45 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 MS strategic aviation aircraft over the Saratov Region and Caspian Sea.
One "Iskander-K" cruise missile from Crimea.
Two Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles from the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
21 Shahed-131/136 type attack UAVs from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions and Kursk region.
The successful defense involved fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The breakdown of destroyed targets included 33 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, four Kalibr cruise missiles, two Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles, and 20 Shahed-131/136 type attack UAVs.
Oleschuk highlighted the persistent threat posed by Russia, which continues to target critical infrastructure and strategic locations within Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Russian troops also targeted electricity generation and transmission facilities across several Ukrainian regions including Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia on May 8.
