In a coordinated and intense attack on July 8, Russia launched nearly its entire long-range missile arsenal against Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the Russian forces fired 38 long-range missiles in a daytime combined assault.
The missiles used in the attack included: Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” aeroballistic missile, 1 3M22 “Zircon” hypersonic missile, 4 Iskander ballistic missiles, 14 Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, 13 Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles, 2 high-speed Kh-22 missiles, 3 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air-launched missiles.
Defense Express noted that only the R-500 cruise missiles for the Iskander system and North Korean ballistic missiles remaining unused.
Despite the scale of the attack, Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed 30 of the 38 missiles.
However, four cruise missiles, one Iskander ballistic missile, two Kh-22 missiles, and one 3M22 “Zircon” hypersonic missile managed to penetrate the air defense shield.
Notably, one of the Kh-101 missiles was deliberately aimed at the Ohmatdyt children’s hospital, in what Ukrainian officials described as a targeted assault on civilian infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Air Force highlighted the need for advanced air defense systems, such as the Patriot or SAMP/T, to intercept the more sophisticated missiles like the Kh-22 and Zircon.