On the night of April 24, 2025 (from 19:30 on April 23), Russian forces launched a combined attack on Ukraine with various types of missiles (air-launched, ground-based, and sea-based), as well as Shahed UAVs and drone imitators of other types.
The main target of the strike was the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv.
In total, the radio-technical forces of the Ukrainian Air Force detected and tracked 215 enemy air targets:
- 11 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles (launch areas: Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk regions – Russia);
- 37 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers (launch area: Saratov region);
- 6 Iskander-K cruise missiles (launch area: Donetsk region);
- 12 Kalibr cruise missiles (from the Black Sea);
- 4 guided air-to-surface missiles Kh-59/Kh-69 from tactical aviation aircraft (launch area: Belgorod region);
- 145 Shahed strike UAVs/imitator drones of various types (from Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions – Russia; Chauda - Crimea).
To repel the air assault, aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets, and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine were involved.
As of 10:00, preliminary data confirms the downing of 112 air targets:
- 7 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
- 31 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
- 6 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air-to-surface missiles;
- 64 Shahed strike UAVs.
Additionally, 68 imitator UAVs were lost in specific locations without negative consequences.
Ukrainian aviation, including F-16 and Mirage fighter pilots, played an active role in repelling the attack. Ukrainian pilots have downed dozens of air targets.
As a result of the Russian attack, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, and Khmelnytskyi regions were affected.
