1 of 2 | Russia unleashed its third large-scale missile attack of the new year Saturday morning. Ukrainian armed forces, however, said they shot down eight missiles and used electronic warfare to interfere with over 20 others. File Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE
Jan. 13 (UPI) — Russia launched another large-scale missile attack against Ukraine early Saturday using dozens of different types of weapons, military officials said.
Ukraine’s Air Force issued a statement on Telegram claiming that Russia’s missile assault involved cruise, aero-ballistic, ballistic, aviation and anti-aircraft guided missiles, as well as military drones.
The statement listed 40 means of Russian air attack. Over half of the weapons, however, did not reach their intended targets, as Ukrainian forces shot down eight missiles and defeated more than 20 others with electronic interference.
The Ukrainian Air Force took the results as proof that Russia’s “unparalleled” missiles are getting “worse and worse.”
“However, this does not mean that they do not pose a threat, on the contrary,” the statement read. “Therefore, be vigilant, do not ignore the alarm, especially with the use of ‘ballistics.'”
This is the third large-scale strike Russia has delivered against Ukraine in the new year. The cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv suffered a major aerial bombardment on Jan. 2, which killed at least six people and injured more than 130.
Russia on Monday issued another barrage of missiles and drones against various Ukrainian cities and villages, which killed four people and injured at least 38.
Ukrainians also are coming under a harsh winter that could leave millions without heat and electricity if power infrastructure is damaged. Temperatures got as low as 8 degrees Fahrenheit in central Ukraine and dipped below freezing in the east on Saturday morning.