Early Sunday morning, Russian air defense systems intercepted a Kh-101 (AS-23 Kodiak) modern, stealthy, subsonic cruise missile launched from a Tu-95 bomber, aimed at Ukrainian territory.
The incident occurred in the Krasnoarmeysky district of the Saratov region. Initially, reports suggested that the air defense systems successfully shot down a suicide drone launched by Ukraine, with local authorities claiming victory in repelling the attack. However, subsequent investigations at the crash site revealed debris consistent with the KH-101 cruise missile.
Simultaneously in this time, Russian Tu-95 bombers conducted another round of airstrikes on targets in Ukraine.
Officials from the Russian Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the incident, mirroring the silence of local authorities.
This incident adds to a series of mishaps involving Russian military assets. Notably, Russian air defense systems previously downed their own Su-27 fighter jet over the occupied Crimea. Such occurrences underscore the chaos and disorganization within Russian military commands.