UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 462 - MAY 29, 2023

The Russian armed forces conducted another series of attacks on Ukraine on the night of May 28-29 and during the day on May 29 using cruise missiles and drones of Iranian production.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Russian armed forces shot down 40 air-launched cruise missiles of the Kh-101/Kh-555 type and 38 Shahed-131/136 drones on the night of May 28-29, and 11 Iskander-M/K missiles during the day on May 29. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Ukrainian air defenses destroyed a total of 36 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, 30 Shahed drones, and all 11 Iskander missiles. Ukrainian authorities believe that Ukrainian forces intercepted all 11 Iskander missiles, as well as 40 cruise missiles and Shahed drones targeted at Kyiv and the Kyiv region. Ukrainian sources also report that Ukrainian forces intercepted missiles and drones near the cities of Lviv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa, and that the Russian armed forces struck the port infrastructure in Odesa and a military infrastructure facility in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The Russian armed forces fired a relatively higher number of missiles than in previous attack series, following the largest Russian series of Shahed strikes since the start of the comprehensive invasion in Ukraine on May 28. According to ISW assessment, the Russian armed forces have initiated a new limited air campaign in recent months to weaken Ukrainian counteroffensive capabilities, but the Russian prioritization of targets in Kyiv is likely to further limit the campaign's ability to meaningfully constrain potential Ukrainian counteroffensive actions.

The full Russian Offensive Update 462 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR online