Ukrainian army shots down 34 out of 48 Russian cruise missiles launched across Ukraine at night, destroys four kamikaze drones – Zaluzhny

KYIV. March 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down 34 out of 48 Russian cruise missiles launched by the invaders on the territory of Ukraine on Thursday night, and also destroyed four kamikaze drones, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny has said.

“The forces and means of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with units of other components of the defense forces of Ukraine, out of 48 Kh-101/Kh-555 and Kalibr cruise missiles, destroyed 34 cruise missiles, as well as four Shahed-136/131 UAVs,” Zaluzhny said in a Telegram on Thursday morning.

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, due to the organized opposition of the Ukrainian army, eight Kh-31P and Kh-59 guided air missiles did not reach their goals.

In general, he said the occupiers launched 81 missiles on the territory of Ukraine at night, including cruise, guided and anti-aircraft missiles.

“This night, the enemy launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. He carried out 81 launches of various missiles: 28 launches of Kh-101/Kh-555 air-launched cruise missiles; 20 launches of Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles; six launches of air-launched cruise missiles basing X-22; six launches of Kh-47 Kinzhal air-launched cruise missiles; eight launches of guided aircraft missiles: two of Kh-31P; six of X-59; 13 launches of S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles,” he said.

It notes that the invaders also launched eight attack UAVs Shahed-136/131 across the territory of Ukraine.