UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 685 - 8 JANUARY 2024

After another series of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine on the night of January 7-8, Ukrainian officials emphasized the need to strengthen air defense systems.

Ukrainian military officials report that the Russian armed forces have fired a total of 59 missiles and drones at Ukraine, including eight Shahed-136/131 drones, seven S-300/400 missiles, four Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, 24 Kh-101/555/55 and eight Kh-22 cruise missiles, six ballistic Iskander-M missiles, and two Kh-31P air-to-air missiles. Ukrainian military officers state that Russian attacks targeted critical and civilian infrastructure as well as military facilities in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Khmelnytskyi regions, and Ukrainian forces have shot down all eight Shaheds and 18 Kh-101/555/55 cruise missiles.

The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, Colonel Yuri Ihnat, reports that the percentage of Russian aerial targets shot down by Ukrainian forces on the night of January 7-8 has not changed compared to previous, more intense Russian attacks, but Ukraine must intercept more Russian missiles and drones due to the large number of such systems that Russia regularly fires.

The full Russian Offensive Update 685 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR